Method and system for interacting with a vehicle over a mobile radiotelephone network

ABSTRACT

A telemetry system coupled to a vehicle can communicate with a remote site using the overhead control channels of a wireless network, such as a cellular mobile radiotelephone network. The telemetry system can monitor or control aspects of the vehicle&#39;s operations based on remote user input. The telemetry system can receive a command from a data processing center and, based on the command, perform an action at the vehicle such that a user can remotely interact with the vehicle.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of commonly assigned U.S.Nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 11/040,636, now U.S. Pat. No.7,323,970, entitled, “Method and System for Remote Interaction With aVehicle Via Wireless Communication,” filed on Jan. 21, 2005, whichclaims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 60/537,843, entitled “Method and System for Vehicle Recoveryand Location Identification” and filed on Jan. 21, 2004. The contents ofU.S. Nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 11/040,636, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,323,970, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.60/537,843 are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

This application is related to commonly assigned U.S. Nonprovisionalpatent application Ser. No. 11/040,683, entitled “Method and System forWireless Telemetry,” the contents of which are hereby incorporated byreference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to communicating over a wireless networkwith a vehicle and more specifically to monitoring and controllingaspects of a vehicle's operation from a remote site using the overheadcontrol channels of a cellular mobile radiotelephone network.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The communications industry shows a growing interest in using wirelesscommunication technology to transmit data to and from remotely locateddevices, equipment, or machines. A cellular mobile radiotelephone(“CMR”) system or network can transmit data between a user and a remotedevice such as a vehicle, vending machine, utility meter, security alarmsystem, community antenna television (“CATV”) pay-per-view (“PPV”)terminal, etc. The user can obtain telemetry data from sensors or otherdata acquisition apparatus coupled to the device to remotely acquireinformation about the device's operations, operating status, oroperating environment. The user can also send messages to the device viathe CMR system, for exampling requesting specific information orcontrolling some aspect of the device's operation.

As an alternative to consuming the voice-carrying bandwidth of the CMRsystem, two-way communications between remote equipment and a centralfacility or other site can transmit on the CMR system's secondarychannels or overhead control channels. That is, the control channels ofa CMR system, such as an advanced mobile phone system (“AMPS”) cellularsystem, can support data communications with devices with minimal impacton person-to-person voice communications. In its role for voicecommunications, an overhead control channel transmits data that controlscommunication actions of mobile and portable radiotelephones operatingon the CMR system. An overhead control channel, which typically supportsdigital communication, can be a paging channel or an access channel, forexample. The cellular system uses the control channels to communicateinformation for handling incoming and outgoing call initiations betweenthe cellular system and a cellular customer. Since these controlchannels generally have greater message handling capability than thecellular system needs for handling voice traffic, they can conveytelemetry data without impairing voice communications.

In this manner, bidirectional data communication with a telemetrysystem, such as a monitor, controller, sensor, or similar device coupledto a data source, proceeds on the overhead control channel. Such atelemetry system may comprise a CMR transceiver that sends and receivesdata on the overhead control channel. The term “telemetry system,” asused herein, refers to a system that acquires, senses, or otherwiseobtains information from a remote machine, apparatus, device, or othersource and transmits the information to a receiving station or site forrecording, analysis, viewing, or other purpose. An individual or acomputer can request and obtain position, movement, or geographic datafrom a telemetry system attached to a vehicle by communicating on theoverhead control channels of the CMR system, for example. To name a fewmore of the numerous potential applications, the overhead controlchannels can convey messages that comprise security alarm reports, copycounts for photocopiers, utility meter readings, pipeline corrosionmonitoring results, vending machine sales, railroad crossing gateinformation, pollution data, geo-positions of containers, and controlsignals for electricity, solenoids, or fluid flow.

The communication of telemetry data and device commands to and from aCMR transceiver of a telemetry system can overlay upon the controlchannel infrastructure that the CMR system uses for handling roamingcellular telephones. Such telemetry communication over an overheadcontrol channel can emulate or mimic a CMR system's verification of acellular telephone operating outside of its home system, known asroaming. Upon power up, a roaming cellular telephone recognizes that itis outside its home system and sends its Mobile Identification Number(“MIN”) and Electronic Serial Number (“ESN”) to the cellular system overan overhead control channel. The cellular system recognizes the roamingnumber and routes the MIN and ESN to the roaming cellular telephone'shome system for validation via an inter-cellular network, known as theintersystem signaling or Electronic IndustriesAssociation/Telecommunications Industry Association (“EIA/TIA”) InterimStandard 41 (“IS-41”) network, that interlinks multiple cellular systemsthroughout the United States and uses signaling system 7 (“SS7”)protocol.

The assigned MIN address of each transceiver causes the CMR system toroute transmissions having that MIN address (and accompanying ESNdigits) to a communication gateway that handles telemetry communicationsvia the IS-41 network. While the MIN identifies thetransceiver/telemetry system, the ESN data field carries telemetry data,for example in the form of a 32-bit message. The communication gatewayadds a timestamp to each communication that it handles. The IS-41network adds a coarse location of the message's point of origin, knownas a mobile switching center identification (“MSCID”).

A typical AMPS cellular telephone system may have 42 overhead controlchannels that are assigned among competing cellular carriers in eachmarket. Each overhead control channel has a forward overhead controlchannel (“FOCC”) and a reverse overhead control channel (“RECC”). TheFOCC conveys information from the cellular base station to the cellulartelephone. Conversely, the RECC conveys information from the cellulartelephone to the base station. The cellular system initiates eachcellular telephone call using the overhead control channels and thendirects the cellular telephone(s) associated with the call to a voicechannel. Upon establishing the service on a voice channel, the overheadcontrol channel clears, thereby becoming free or available.

The FOCC broadcasts information concerning the system identification(“SID”) of the cellular system on a frequent basis for receipt bycellular telephones in the broadcast domain. When a cellular telephonepowers up or is turned on, it compares the SID of its home system, whichit stores in non-volatile memory, to the broadcast SID. If thecomparison indicates that the cellular telephone is roaming, thecellular telephone checks the FOCC message stream for registrationinstructions from the local cellular system operator. The instructionsmay command each roaming cellular telephone to register its identityover the RECC to the cellular system on a time basis, such as daily, oran event basis at each call.

When the roaming cellular telephone registers with the non-home orroaming cellular system, it sends its MIN and ESN via the RECC to themobile switching center (“MSC”). The IS-41 provides connectivity betweeneach of the MSCs in the United States and facilitates identifyingroamers.

For example, suppose a cellular user having a home base in Miami isroaming in an Atlanta cellular system. Recognizing that the first sixdigits of the roaming cellular telephone's MIN do not correspond to anAtlanta cellular telephone number, the Atlanta MSC determines that thecellular telephone is not one of its Atlanta cellular customers. TheAtlanta MSC compares the first six MIN digits to a database anddetermines that the cellular telephone's home MSC is Miami-based. Onceidentified, the Atlanta MSC routes a request for validation to thecellular telephone's home MSC in Miami. In response to the request, thehome MSC in Miami checks its local database to validate the MIN and ESN,determine if the customer's bill is current, and identify any customcalling features that the customer is entitled to receive. The Miami MSCsends a registration notification or validation response comprising therequested information back to the Atlanta MSC. Through this process, thevalidated roaming cellular telephone customer receives the same level ofcellular service in the Atlanta MSC as in the home MSC in Miami.Meanwhile, the Atlanta MSC receives assurance that the roaming cellulartelephone customer is not fraudulent.

Messages containing telemetry data have the same outward format as thevalidation messages of the Miami-to-Atlanta roaming example. Thus, theCMR system's roaming registration process handles each telemetry messageas if it was an actual validation message from a roaming cellulartelephone. However, rather than directing the telemetry messages to anMSC of a cellular service provider, the communication gateway capturesor intercepts telemetry messages on the RECC to obtain the telemetrydata carried thereon. Information added to the database of the roamingMSC controls the dedicated MINs that are assigned to the communicationgateway. The CMR transceiver, comprising a telemetry radio, emulates theroaming cellular telephone. In a telemetry scenario, the MIN is the 10digit equipment identification (“ID”) and the ESN comprises the datapayload.

In order to appear transparent to the cellular system, the communicationgateway emulates a home MSC. The communication gateway sends the propervalidation response, indicating that the MIN and the ESN are valid, backto the roaming MSC. After a preset period of time, the communicationgateway sends a registration-cancel message for each telemetry message.This action avoids filling up the visitor location register (“VLR”) ofthe roaming MSC with unnecessary entries. That is, deleting the VLRentries prevents the registration from remaining in the roaming MSC'sVLR for an extended period of time. In contrast, standard registrationsassociated with voice traffic remain in the VLR until a specified timefor re-registration occurs, which could be as long as 24 hours, or untilthe home MSC informs the roaming MSC that the roaming cellular telephonehas moved to another MSC system.

For communication to the telemetry system via the FOCC, thecommunication gateway accepts outgoing messages via an Internet protocol(“IP”) message transmitted on frame relay, Internet, or a landline phonecall. The communication gateway, in turn, sends a message to thevisiting MSC via the SS7/IS-41 network. The MSC's translations databasehas a configuration that accepts the MINs associated with telemetrycommunication in the MSC's market area.

Since an outbound or forward message does not have an ESN field, analternate coding system provides remote control of the telemetrytransceiver and its host equipment. In one conventional technique,aggregating multiple outbound messages creates a small data packet. Thatis, a plurality of outbound messages, transmitted serially on a singeFOCC, each carry a portion of a command or instruction. The telemetrytransceiver receives the serially transmitted messages, each containinga message fragment, and merges these fragments into a unified message.This technique is often inefficient and limited in terms of its speed ofmessage delivery.

In another conventional technique for communicating messages to atelemetry system, each potential message has a corresponding unique MIN.The telemetry system recognizes receipt of the unique MIN as delivery ofa specific instruction. For example, a vending machine operator may sendout a specific MIN on an FOCC to request sales data from a vendingmachine having a telemetry system. In this conventional technique, eachunique MIN corresponds to exactly one identifiable message. The numberof messaging MINs assigned to each telemetry system has a one-to-onecorrespondence to the number of messages that the telemetry system caninterpret. CMR systems typically do not have an unlimited number ofMINs, and assignment of each MIN incurs an associated cost. Thus, onedisadvantage of this technique is its consumption of MINs.

Another conventional scheme for communicating with a telemetry systemuses a single overhead control channel for bidirectional communication.The telemetry system receives an instruction on the FOCC of an overheadcontrol channel and returns a response to the instruction on the RECC ofthe same overhead control channel. One problem with this scheme is thatthe RECC typically does not become immediately available for sending areply following transmission of the instruction on the FOCC. Dependingon the speed of the MSC, a CMR system may need up to 65 seconds to clearthe overhead control channel prior to communicating the reply on theRECC. Because the MSC and the CMR system perform multiple steps toprovide forward and reverse communication, the aggregate time forsending an instruction message to a telemetry system and receiving aresponse message from the telemetry system can be two times 65 seconds,or 130 seconds. During this delay time, the MSC builds a VLR entry andthen deletes or “tears down” the entry in response to instructions fromthe communication gateway. As discussed above, deleting VLR entriesassociated with telemetry messages preserves the available capacity ofthe VLR database. One shortcoming of this conventional scheme is thatthe communication latency or time delay can pose problems for telemetryapplications. For example, the 130-second delay can be unacceptable incertain time-critical circumstances.

An application of wireless telemetry that often has little tolerance forsuch delays is remote monitoring or control of a vehicle. If a vehicleowner needs to find his or her vehicle, the owner may lack the patienceor the time to wait 130 seconds or some other significant period of timeto receive the vehicle's location over a conventional overhead controlchannel.

Power consumption or battery life often poses another problem for manyconventional telemetry systems mounted in vehicles for mobileoperations. That is, telemetry devices based on conventional technologymay not offer a sufficient level of energy efficiency. If all of thesubsystems associated with the telemetry system are powered up andoperational and the vehicle's alternator is not recharging the vehicle'sbattery, the total power consumption may pose an unacceptable batterydrain. On the other hand, if all of the vehicle's telemetry capabilitiesare turned off or disconnected from the battery, all telemetryfunctionality may be lost. Conventional telemetry systems often fail tooperate in a manner that adequately preserves battery life whileproviding an acceptable level of functionality or readiness. Forexample, a car dealer may want all of the telemetry system'scapabilities to remain immediately available for on-the-spotdemonstrations to potential customers. However, to maintain the desiredlevel of readiness, a conventional telemetry system may drain thevehicle's battery in an unacceptably short period of time.

Another problem with some conventional telemetry systems that monitorvehicles is that they may fail to provide a sufficient level offunctional capability. Such a telemetry system may monitor a vehicle'soperation and provide notification to a remote owner upon an occurrenceof a designated event, such as a theft attempt. However, the telemetrysystem may fail to consider the circumstances surrounding the event orother events that preceded or followed that event. In other words,conventional technology for vehicle telemetry may not provide anadequate level of processing or analysis of sensor data. Withoutadequate processing of sensor data, a user of the telemetry system maybe overwhelmed with extraneous data or false alarms. The data ofinterest to the user may be buried in the extraneous data and notreadily apparent. Thus, telemetry systems based on conventionaltechnology may not adequately highlight operating conditions or eventsof potential concern to the vehicle's owner.

To address these representative deficiencies in the art, what is neededis an improved capability for monitoring and controlling a vehicle viawireless telemetry. A further need exists for a capability for providingtelemetry functionality on an as-needed basis while managing powerconsumption. Yet another need exists for processing telemetry data toidentify conditions or events that warrant sending a notification oralert to a remote party.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention supports controlling various aspects of a vehiclefrom a remote location via a wireless link that comprises an overheadcontrol channel of a CMR system or network. In one aspect of the presentinvention, the wireless link between the remote location and the vehiclecan overlay or use the CMR system's call-handling infrastructure oroverhead control channels with minimal or no impact on the CMR system'svoice-carrying capacity.

A telemetry system at the vehicle end of the link can comprise or coupleto a controller and/or a sensing system. In its controlling capacity,the telemetry system can take actions, such as manipulating thevehicle's door locks, allowing or preventing starting of the vehicle,pulsing lights or a horn, or opening and shutting a switch connected toanother system at the vehicle. A user can enter a message, such as acommand, a prompt, or a request for information, into a remote stationfor transmission over the wireless link to the telemetry system. Thetelemetry system can respond to receipt of the message and control someaspect of the vehicle's operation or acquire requested information frommonitors or sensing devices coupled to the vehicle or its operatingenvironment.

Further, a data processing system may comprise the remote station. Thedata processing system may receive a voice command, interpret the voicecommand, and send a signal to the vehicle requesting the command oraction be performed at the vehicle. The vehicle then receives the signaland performs the action. The action or command may comprise unlockingdoors, pulsing lights, or pulsing a horn. The action or command may alsocomprise disabling the vehicle.

The discussion of wireless communications and interactions with avehicle presented in this summary is for illustrative purposes only.Various aspects of the present invention may be more clearly understoodand appreciated from a review of the following detailed description ofthe disclosed embodiments and by reference to the drawings and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exemplary functional block diagram illustrating acellular-based system for wireless communication with a telemetry systemcoupled to a vehicle according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary functional block diagram illustrating a telemetrysystem coupled to a vehicle according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3A is an exemplary functional block diagram of a cellularcommunication system according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3B is a table that shows an exemplary format for a data messagecommunicated in the cellular communication system of FIG. 3A accordingto an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary wirelesscommunication link according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are a flowchart of an exemplary process for remotelydisabling a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are a flowchart of an exemplary process for enabling avehicle to start according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for decoding a messagetransmitted on an overhead control channel according to an embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C are a flowchart of an exemplary process forlocating a vehicle via wireless communication according to an embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary microprocessorsystem that a telemetry system comprises according to an embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for operating a telemetrysystem in a manner that controls electrical power consumption.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for operating a globalpositioning sensor in a manner that reduces its net power drain.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for operating a relay ina manner that reduces its power consumption.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for controlling powerconsumption by a CMR transceiver according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIGS. 14A and 14B are a flowchart of an exemplary process for unlockinga door of a vehicle from a remote location.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for tracking the positionof a vehicle via wireless telemetry according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for identifying avehicle's speed limit violations via wireless telemetry according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for reporting instancesof a vehicle moving outside an operating boundary according to anembodiment of the present invention.

Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with reference tothe above-described drawings. The components in the drawings are notnecessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearlyillustrating the principles of exemplary embodiments of the presentinvention. Moreover, in the drawings, reference numerals designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention can communicate data,such as bidirectional telemetry messages comprising sensor data orcommands, using a plurality of overhead control channels of a wirelesscommunication network. A method and system for communicating wirelesscommunication will now be described more fully hereinafter withreference to FIGS. 1-8, in which embodiments of the present inventionare shown. FIGS. 1 and 2 provide block diagram illustrations of anexemplary implementation of a telemetry system coupled to vehicle. FIG.3 illustrates an exemplary cellular communication system. FIG. 4illustrates an exemplary communication link based on cellular controlchannels. FIGS. 5-8 illustrate flowcharts for exemplary processesinvolving wireless communication in a vehicle telemetry application.FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary microprocessor system comprisingsoftware modules. FIGS. 10-13 illustrate flowcharts for exemplaryprocesses for conserving power consumption of a telemetry system. FIGS.14-17 illustrate flowcharts for exemplary application-oriented processesfor a telemetry system.

The invention can be embodied in many different forms and should not beconstrued as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, theseembodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough andcomplete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to thosehaving ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, all “examples” givenherein are intended to be non-limiting, and among others supported byexemplary embodiments of the present invention.

Turning now to FIG. 1, this figure illustrates a functional blockdiagram of a cellular-based system 100 for wireless communication withone or more vehicles 105 according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention. In the case of multiple vehicles 105, only one ofwhich FIG. 1 illustrates, each vehicle 105 can be a member of a fleetthat is dispersed across a geographic area, such as a city, portion of acity, region, state, or larger area. A business entity, such as atrucking company, can operate such a fleet and manage variousoperational aspects via wireless communication. On the other hand, anowner of a specific vehicle 105 can send commands to and receiveoperational data from that vehicle 105 via the cellular-based system100. The vehicle 105 can be a car, truck, train, tractor-trailer truck,delivery van, boat, ship, airplane, etc.

Each vehicle 105 has a telemetry system 165 that senses and controlsvarious aspects of the vehicle 105 or the vehicle's operatingenvironment. The vehicle's owner can remotely disable the vehicle 105 ordetermine its geographic location from the web-based graphical userinterface (“GUI”) 125, for example.

A CMR transceiver 160 and its associated antenna 155, typically mountedto the vehicle 105, communicate data over a bidirectional wireless link140 in a CMR system 8. The CMR transceiver 160 comprises circuitry (notshown) for processing incoming and outgoing wireless signals through theCMR system 8.

The CMR system 8 includes a cellular network 130 that supports wirelesscommunication between a communication gateway 135 and the CMRtransceiver 160. Communications 145 in the CMR system 8 from thecommunication gateway 135 to the CMR transceiver 160 transmit in thecellular network's paging channels or FOCCs. Communications 146 from thetransceiver module 160 to the communication gateway 135 transmit in thecellular network's RECCs.

As discussed above, communicating data to and from the vehicle 105 inoverhead control channels preserves the CMR system's communicationbandwidth for other communication functions, such as voice traffic. Thusas described in further detail below with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B,the data processing system 46 depicted in FIG. 1 can support multiplecommunication applications in tandem with vehicular communication. Asingle CMR system 8 can carry voice communications while carrying datacommunications associated with vehicles 105 and a variety of otherequipment (not shown in FIG. 1). Stated another way, the depictedcommunication system 100 provides economical two-way communicationsbetween remote equipment and a central facility using an underutilizedportion of an AMPS cellular telephone system, the overhead controlchannels.

In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a system otherthan an AMPS cellular telephone system conveys data from the vehicle 105to the data processing system 46 (and visa versa). Such a non-AMPSsystem can be either a cellular or a non-cellular system based onvarious transmission protocols. In one exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention, communication between the vehicle 105 and the dataprocessing system 46 comprises digital transmission or short messageservice (“SMS”) transport.

The communication system 100 can comprise Digital AMPS (“DAMPS”), CodeDivision Multiple Access (“CDMA”) or Interim Standard 95 (“IS-95”), TimeDivision Multiple Access (“TDMA”) or Interim Standard 136 (“IS-136”),the Global System for Mobile communications (“GSM”), Enhanced Data Ratesfor Global Evolution (“EDGE”), General Packet Radio Service (“GPRS”), orvarious two-way paging protocols, to name a few alternatives. Thesystem's wireless transport can support a data capacity of 8,000 bitsper second or more, for example. In one exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention, the communication system 100 is based on thecommunication platform marketed by Numerex Corp. of Atlanta, Ga. underthe registered trademark “CELLEMETRY” and can have an uplink payload orpacket size of 32 bits. In one exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, the communication system 100 comprises a satellite data link,such as provided by the system that Vistar Datacomm markets under thename “GlobalWave®”, and can have an uplink payload size of 88 bits. Inone exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the communicationsystem 100 is linked to the communication service that Aeris.net of SanJose, Calif. markets under the name “MicroBurst®”.

The CMR transceiver 160 sends information acquired from the telemetrysystem 165 or other data sources at the vehicle 105 as telemetry packets146 through the cellular network's control channels to the communicationgateway 135. In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, eachtelemetry packet 146 comprises a 32-bit word or has a 32-bit wordpayload. However, each telemetry packet can have a larger payload suchas a payload in a range of 32 to 300 bytes. In one exemplary embodimentof the present invention, each telemetry packet comprises 88 bits.

The CMR transceiver 160, which may also be referred to as a transceivermodule or as a transmitter-receiver pair, receives data communicated inthe form of incoming pages 145 transmitted over the cellular network 130on the FOCC. Pages 145 received by the transceiver module 160 caninclude commands, programming, prompts, instructions, requests fortelemetry data, and configuration data, to name a few examples. A page145 can comprise a request to the telemetry system 165 to report thevehicle's location or an instruction to unlock the vehicle 105, forexample.

Communication between the communication gateway 135 and the cellularnetwork 130 can conform to any one of a variety of communicationprotocols such as SS7 and IS-41. SS7 is a communications protocolhistorically used to transfer public switched telephone network (“PSTN”)data traffic onto a separate wireline or wireless network rather thanthe originating network for the call. As discussed herein in furtherdetail, IS-41 is a standard for communications between cellular systems.

A data processing system 46, typically collocated with the communicationgateway 135, communicates with this gateway 135 via transmission controlprotocol and Internet protocol (“TCP/IP”) over a hardwire data link 48.TCP/IP is a communication method that combines TCP and IP functions.While IP handles data delivery, TCP tracks packets, which are units ofdata, divided for efficient routing through a communication network,such as the Internet 120. More specifically, TCP provides a transportfunction that matches the message sizes on either end of a communicationlink and thereby ensures that messages received at a destination are thecorrect messages intended for that destination. The IP function includesa computer address on a network. Each computer in a TCP/IP network has aspecified address that may be permanently assigned or reassigned at eachstartup. Since TCP/IP messages contain an address of a destinationnetwork as well as an address of a destination station on thedestination network, TCP/IP messages readily transmit across or betweenmultiple networks, such as the Internet 120 and the cellular network 130of the cellular based system 100 that FIG. 1 depicts.

The data processing system 46 comprises data processing programs 170that process incoming data from the communication gateway 135 and handlevarious aspects of outgoing communication. The data processing system 46can also comprise one or more databases (not shown) that store orarchive processed or raw data passing through the communication gateway135.

Certain of the data processing programs 170 may be specific to thevehicle application while other data processing programs 170 supportdata services with other equipment connected to the CMR radio telephonesystem 8, such as electrical utility monitors or vending machines (notshown). That is, these programs 170 may process incoming and outgoingmessages from multiple applications that transmit data through the CMRsystem 8 via the communication gateway 135.

In one exemplary embodiment, the data processing system 46 comprises aninteractive voice response (“IVR”) module 190 that can include softwareprograms. The term “interactive voice response module” or “IVR module,”as used herein, refers to a computer-based system that processes a voicemessage or spoken word to determine that the message has a specificmeaning selected from multiple possible meanings.

An owner of the vehicle 105 or other authorized individual can interactwith the IVR module 190 by placing a wireline or wireless telephone callto a telephone number dedicated to the data processing system 46. APSTN, which FIG. 1 does not explicitly illustrate, can carry theincoming call to the data processing system 46. The IVR module 190answers the incoming call and interacts with the owner. For example, theIVR module 190 can ask the owner to identify a specific service request,such as identifying the vehicle's location, disabling the vehicle 105 orthe vehicle's starter, or unlocking the vehicle's doors. The IVR module190 can interpret the owner's spoken request and respond accordingly.For example, the IVR module 190 can initiate sending a message via oneor more FOCCs to the CMR transceiver 160. The message could comprise aninstruction to return the vehicle's location, to disable the vehicle105, or to unlock the vehicle's doors, for example.

Internet-based connectivity to a web-based graphical user interface(“GUI”) 125 provides other forms of remote user interaction with thetelemetry system 105. A vehicle owner can enter into the GUI 125 arequest for data from the telemetry system 165 or a command thatcontrols some aspect of the vehicle's operations, such as arming asecurity system or unlocking the vehicle's doors. The GUI 125 can alsodisplay data transmitted by the CMR transceiver 160 to the dataprocessing system 46. The Internet 120 that connects the data processingsystem 46 to the GUI 125 allows a user, such as the vehicle's owner, tointeract with the vehicle 105 and its telemetry system 165 fromessentially any facility or site that provides Internet connectivity.

The GUI 125 can comprise a personal computer (“PC”) though which theuser enters data, requests information, performs other input-relatedinteractions, and views displayed data, operational recommendations, andother information. The PC, or another computer, can include varioussoftware modules (not shown) that perform high-level data processing incollaboration with the data processing programs 170 of the dataprocessing system 46, for example. Such software modules can outputrecommendations to the user for example.

While the exemplary system architecture depicted in FIG. 1 supportsremotely situating the web-based GUI 125 with respect to the dataprocessing system 46, these system components 125, 46 can be located ina common facility, building, or complex or in a single equipmentenclosure. In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, thedepicted Internet network 120 is replaced with an intranet thatcommunicates information within a campus and thus offers access to thedata processing system 46 and its software functions, as available, tousers throughout the campus. In one exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, a distributed computing network links the web-based GUI 125to the data processing system 46.

Turning now to FIG. 2, this figure illustrates a functional blockdiagram of a vehicle 105 coupled to a telemetry system 165 forbidirectional communication with a remote data processing system 46according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Thetelemetry system 165 interfaces with sensing devices 290, 260, 270, 275and control devices 280, 290, 295 linked to the vehicle's operation oroperating environment.

Exemplary sensing devices 250, 260, 270, 275 can measure, monitor, ordetect some aspect of the operation or state of the vehicle 105 or thevehicle's operating environment. On the other hand, exemplary controldevices 280, 290, 295 can change, alter, or refine some aspect of theoperation or state of the vehicle 105 or the vehicle's operatingenvironment. In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, thetelemetry system 165 comprises such sensing and control devices. Thetelemetry system 165 can also interface with external sensing andcontrol devices. For example, the telemetry system 165 can eithercomprise or interface with a controller, such as a programmable logiccontroller (“PLC”). Such an interface can comprise a serial link,parallel bus, current loop, optical link, or other communication link.

The global positioning sensor (“GPS”) 250 determines the geographicposition, speed, and heading of the vehicle 105 based on signals from asystem of satellites orbiting the earth. A serial or parallel linkbetween the GPS 105 and the telemetry system 165 supportsdevice-to-device communication. The telemetry system 165 can prompt theGPS 250 to output navigational data for logging or for transmission tothe data processing system 46 via the CMR system's overhead controlchannels 140. The telemetry system 165 can also control power to the GPS250, for example turning it off or on based on need or in response to anevent. As an alternative to the GPS 250, other forms of navigationaldevices or position sensors can report navigational information to thetelemetry system 165. For example, a speedometer and compass (not shown)can provide speed and directional information to the telemetry system165.

An embodiment of conveying GPS data over a wireless network is describedin U.S. Pat. No. 6,718,237 by Murray and Jansson, entitled “Method forReducing Capacity Demands for Conveying Geographic Location Informationover Capacity Constrained Wireless Systems” and granted on Apr. 6, 2004.The contents of U.S. Pat. No. 6,718,237 are hereby incorporated byreference.

In addition to the dedicated communication link that supportscommunication with the GPS 250, the telemetry system 165 comprisessensor inputs 240 that support lower data rates. One of the sensorinputs 240 interfaces with an airbag deployment sensor 260 that providesstatus of the vehicle's airbag. For example, the airbag deploymentsensor 260 can output a single pulse or toggle (close or open) a contactor switch upon airbag deployment. The telemetry system 165 can receivenotification of the airbag's deployment from the airbag deploymentsensor 260 and send a wireless message to a remote owner of the vehicle105. That message, which transmits over the overhead control channellink 140, can serve as an indication to the vehicle's owner that thevehicle 105 may have been involved in an accident. A change in thestatus of the airbag deployment sensor 260 may also indicate anothercondition or event of interest to the owner, for example airbagtampering or unwanted intrusion.

The security system 270 monitors the vehicle 105 for theft, maliciousactivities, break in, security threats, or similar conditions or eventsposing the possibility of compromising the vehicle 105. Carmanufacturers or dealers often offer such security systems 270 aspurchase options. Alternatively, the security system 270 can be anaftermarket device. Upon detecting a threatening condition or intrusion,the security system 270 outputs a signal that the telemetry system 165receives through one of its sensor inputs 240.

Receiving a threat notification from the security system 270 can triggerthe telemetry system 165 to send notification of the threat to the GUI125 for display to the owner. At the time of such a threat, softwaremodules 215 in the microprocessor system 210 can comprise instructionsthat apply logical rules to the state of the vehicle 105 as determinedby the sensor inputs. Based on such rules, the telemetry system 165 canrespond to the threat by sending the vehicle's location to the GUI 125,tracking the vehicle's movements, or disabling the vehicle's startercircuit 280, for example.

The ignition switch sensor 275 identifies an operational status or stateof the vehicle 105. That sensor 275 can determine if the ignition isoff, indicating that the vehicle 105 and the vehicle's engine are off ornot running. A driver normally turns the ignition or ignition switch tothe off setting to park or store the vehicle 105. The sensor 275 canalso determine if the ignition is on, which is the state for driving thevehicle 105 in which the vehicle's engine runs. The ignition sensor 175can further identify the ignition's start state. That is, the sensor 175can determine whether the driver has turned the key to a position forstarting the vehicle's engine. Thus, the ignition switch sensor 275 canprovide the telemetry system 165 with information regarding whether adriver has attempted to set the vehicle into one of three states, namelyon, off, and start.

The telemetry system 165 comprises relays 230 that support outputtingsignals to various electrical, mechanical, or computer-based systems ofthe vehicle 105. Software programs, in the form of software modules 215,executing on the microprocessor system 210 can energize each theserelays 230 to control a device, circuit, or system connected thereto.Energizing a relay 230 can comprise sending electricity to or removingelectricity from a relay's coil to either open or shut the relay 230.That is, the microprocessor system 210 can close a relay 230 that isnormally open, in its un-energized or relaxed state. Conversely, asignal from the microprocessor system 210 can open a relay 230 that isnormally closed, in its un-energized or relaxed state. As an alternativeto an electromechanical relay 230, the telemetry system 165 caninterface to other output devices, including solid state systems such asamplifiers, silicon control rectifiers, operational amplifiers, diodes,or other devices that control or manipulate electricity.

According to the telemetry system's configuration or state, the relay230 a can interface to the starter circuit 280 or the door lock/unlockcircuit 290. The state of the dual inline pin switches 220, as setduring installation of the telemetry system 165, can specify whether therelay 230 a controls starting the vehicle 105 or unlocking the vehicle'sdoors.

In response to a command from the vehicle's owner, transmitted on one ormore of the CMR system's overhead control channels, the telemetry system165 can set or trip the relay 230 a to prevent unauthorized starting ofthe vehicle 105. In one embodiment, the telemetry system 165 energizesthe relay during an unauthorized attempt to start the vehicle 105,thereby interruption the starting process.

If assigned to the vehicle's door lock/unlock circuit 290, the relay 230a can send a pulse of electricity to an electromechanical apparatus,such as a solenoid, linked to the vehicle's door locks. The interval ofelectrical energy can lock or unlock the door lock of the vehicle 105.

The relay 230 b interfaces with the vehicle's horn or lights circuit295. A vehicle owner who can not locate the vehicle 105 in a crowdedparking lot can place a cellular telephone call to an operator at thedata processing system 46 and request help. In response, the operatorcan initiate sending a page 145 on an overhead control channel 140 tothe telemetry system 165. In response to the page, the telemetry system165 can engage the relay 230 b to pulse the vehicle's horn or lights.

The microprocessor system 210 controls operations of the telemetrysystem 165 based on sensory information and commands received via thecontrol channel data communication link 140. That system 210 comprises amicroprocessor 212 or microcontroller that executes instructions or codeof the software modules 215.

The microprocessor system 210 can comprise a variety of digitalcircuitry elements including flash memory, random access memory (“RAM”),a digital-to-analog converter (“DAC”), an analog-to-digital converter(“ADC”), and timing circuits. Flash memory can facilitate softwareupgrades or replacements. RAM can support data storage and programexecution.

The microprocessor system 210 can further comprise various types ofmemory such as any one or combination of volatile memory elements (e.g.,forms of RAM such as DRAM, EPROM, EEPROM, SRAM, SDRAM, etc.) andnonvolatile memory elements (e.g., ROM, hard drive, tape, CDROM, etc.).Moreover, the microprocessor system's memory may incorporate electronic,magnetic, optical, and/or other types of storage media and can have adistributed architecture, where various components are situated remotefrom one another, but can be accessed by the microprocessor 212 or othercomputer of the telemetry system 165.

A “computer-readable medium” can be any means that can store,communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or inconnection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.The computer readable medium can be, for example but not limited to, anelectronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, orsemiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. Morespecific examples (a nonexhaustive list) of the computer-readable mediumwould include the following: an electrical connection (electronic)having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette (magnetic), a RAM(electronic), a read-only memory (ROM) (electronic), an erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EPROM, EEPROM, or flash memory)(electronic), an optical fiber (optical), and a portable compact discread-only memory (CDROM) (optical). Note that the computer-readablemedium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which theprogram is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, viafor instance optical scanning of the paper or other medium, thencompiled, interpreted or otherwise processed in a suitable manner ifnecessary, and then stored in a computer memory.

The microprocessor system 210 can also comprise logic implemented inhardware with any or a combination of the following technologies, whichare each well known in the art: a discrete logic circuit(s) having logicgates for implementing logic functions upon data signals, an applicationspecific integrated circuit (ASIC) having appropriate combinationallogic gates, a programmable gate array(s) (PGA), a field programmablegate array (FPGA), etc. Further a microcontroller, functioning as themicroprocessor 212, can comprise an integration of such digital logicaldevices.

The CMR transceiver 160 and it control channel data link 140 provide themicroprocessor system 210 and the telemetry system 165 with connectivityto remote users and sites, including the web-based GUI 125 and the dataprocessing system 46. That is a wireless transmitter and receiver pair,embodied in the CMR transceiver 160 and its associated antenna 155,implements the transmission and reception of data via the wireless datalink 140.

The CMR transceiver 160 has a plurality of MINs 201, 202, 203, 204 forbidirectional communication over the data link 140 through the antenna155. As discussed in further detail below, the telemetry system 165 usesthese MINs 201, 202, 203, 204 for communication in a coordinated mannerthat enhances the bandwidth or data carrying capacity of the controlchannel data link 140 and reduces communication latency, dead time,delay, or lag. Thus, the four MINs 201, 202, 203, 204 function as acollaborative group and achieve a communication advantage over fourindividually operating MINs (not shown).

Turning now to FIGS. 3A and 3B, an exemplary embodiment of a CMR systemwill be discussed in the context of general applications that caninclude voice and data communication, mobile communication, vendingmachines, vehicles 105, utility monitors, and other equipment.Specifically, FIGS. 3A and 3B respectively illustrate a CMR system 8 andits messaging packet format. The system 8 can provide a wide range ofvoice and data services in addition to communication with an individualmachine, such as a vehicle 105. Also, the system 8 can interface with anetwork of machines, such as a fleet of vehicles or a system of vendingmachines dispersed throughout a geographic region. The followingdiscussion of these figures is somewhat generalized rather than directedspecifically a single application.

Referring now to FIG. 3A, this figure illustrates a functional blockdiagram of a data message system 10 in an operating environment of a CMRsystem 8 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

The data message system 10 communicates data collected from remote datasources 30, such as a vehicle 105 or a GPS 250 as depicted in FIGS. 1and 2, and includes a set of data reporting devices 29, at least one MSC24 of the CMR system 8, and a data collection system 40 connected to theMSC 24. In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, eachreporting device 29 comprises the telemetry system 165 coupled to thevehicle 105 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and discussed above. Further,the data collection system 40 can be the communication gateway 135 ofFIGS. 1 and 2. Each data reporting device 29 monitors operation of theremote data source 30 to obtain selected data, such as the location,speed, or security status of the vehicle 105.

The data reporting device 29 transmits data messages containing selecteddata to the MSC 24 via a cellular network control channel of the CMRsystem 8. The MSC 24 receives data messages from data reporting devices29 operating within coverage areas of the CMR system 8. The MSC 24 sendsthe data messages to the data collection system 40 via a firstcommunications link for processing of the information offered by thedata messages.

By operating within the environment of a CMR system 8, which is welladapted for portable or mobile communications, one exemplary embodimentof the present invention can take advantage of an existing wide areacommunications network and avoid the expense of communicating with eachremote data site via a dedicated telephone facility or two-way radios. Aremote data site can be a parking lot, driveway, freeway, city, road, orother site that the vehicle 105 occupies, for example.

The data message system 10 adapts the existing environment of a CMRsystem 8 to communicate data from one or more remote sites to a centrallocation. However, to conserve the use of voice channels of the CMRsystem 8 for telephone conversations, the data collection system 40 usesthe cellular network control channel of the CMR system 8 for datacommunications. The data message is formatted to correspond to a callorigination signal, which is normally transmitted by a cellularradiotelephone unit when the device originates a cellular telephone callfor communication via a CMR system 8. This permits conservation of thevaluable frequency spectrum dedicated to the voice channels of thetypical CMR system 8.

In view of the foregoing, it will be understood that one exemplaryembodiment of the present invention can adapt existing architecture andcommunications protocols of a typical CMR system 8 to supply aneconomical approach to the communication of telemetry data collectedfrom numerous remote sites or vehicles 105. It will be furtherunderstood that the communication of data messages between an MSC 24 andthe cellular communications device can be based upon establishedtechniques and known protocols for CMR system communications.Accordingly, it will be useful to review the primary components andoperation of a typical CMR system 8.

A CMR system 8 is generally characterized by dividing a radio coveragearea into smaller coverage areas or “cells” 12 using low powertransmitters and coverage-restricted receivers. The limited coveragearea allows the radio channels used in one cell 12 to be reused inanother cell (not shown). As a mobile radiotelephone within one cell 12moves across the boundary of the cell 12 and into an adjacent cell (notshown), control circuitry associated with each cell 12 detects that thesignal strength of the mobile radiotelephone in the just-entered cell 12is stronger, and communications with the mobile radiotelephone are“handed-off” to the just-entered cell 12.

A CMR system 8 typically uses a pair of radio frequencies for each radiochannel and each cell 12. Each cell 12 typically includes at least onesignaling channel, also referred to as a cellular network overheadcontrol channel or an access channel, and several voice channels. Theoverhead control channel is selected or dedicated to receive requestsfor service from mobiles and portables, to page selected mobiles orportables, and to instruct the mobiles or portables to tune to apredetermined voice channel where a conversation may take place.Accordingly, the overhead control channel is normally responsible forreceiving and transmitting data to control the communication actions ofthe mobile and portable radiotelephones.

The overhead control channel normally comprises a FOCC forcommunications from the MSC 24 to a radiotelephone unit and a RECC forcommunications from a radiotelephone unit to the MSC 24. The FOCCsupplies a multiplexed data stream of message data words, a busy idlesignal, and busy idle bits. The busy idle bits supply a statusindication of the RECC to monitoring radiotelephones. If aradiotelephone unit is using the RECC, then the RECC is considered busyand the busy idle bit is set to a binary one value. Alternatively, ifthe RECC is free or not in use, then the RECC is considered idle and thebusy idle bit is set to a binary zero value. Mobile radiotelephonesmonitor the busy idle bits transmitted by the FOCC and, if the busy idlebit is set to a binary one value, then the mobile radiotelephone delaystransmission on the RECC until the busy idle bit is set to a binary zerovalue. Thus, a radiotelephone normally transmits on the overhead controlchannel during the window of opportunity that a transition from the busystate to the idle state presents. In particular, the busy idle bitsupplies an instantaneous view of the signaling activity on the overheadcontrol channel, and the radiotelephone is responsive to this instantsnapshot of overhead control channel activity.

The data message and radio channel specifications for U.S. cellularradiotelephone systems are set forth in EIA/TIA Standard 553,implemented in accordance with 47 C.F.R. Section 22, in the Report andOrders pertaining to Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) No.79-318. Copies of the EIA/TIA-553 may be obtained from the EngineeringDepartment of the Electronic Industries Association at 2001 PennsylvaniaAvenue N.W., Washington, D.C., USA 20006.

When a cellular mobile radiotelephone originates a call, it transmits atleast one data message to the serving cell 12 of the CMR system 8. Thisrequest for a cellular voice channel, commonly referred to as a “callorigination” function, is defined by EIA/TIA-553 and can be implementedas a message or signal having certain defined fields. For example, thiscall origination message can contain data fields for the low-order sevendigits of the unit's telephone number, known as the MIN, the unit'sstation class mark (“SCM”), which identifies functional characteristicsof the unit, and the called address, or dialed telephone number.Cellular system operators typically also require additional data wordsto be transmitted within a call origination message, including the MIN2, which is the high order three digits or number planning area (“NPA”)of the cellular unit's telephone number, and the ESN.

The MIN is assigned to a particular radio telephone unit by the cellularservice provider selected by the subscriber. The MIN typically containsinformation unique to the CMR system operator, for example, the firstthree digits of the MIN (“XXX”) typically correspond to an area code,the next three digits (“XXX”) typically correspond to a geographiclocation within the area code; and the final four digits (“XXXX”)identify a particular piece of equipment. Similarly, the ESN is uniqueto each mobile cellular radiotelephone unit, and comprises a format thatallows differentiation as to manufacturer and, in some cases, the modelnumber, date of manufacture, and the like.

The call origination message is provided first to the serving cell 12 ofthe CMR system 8, and then through a data link to a MSC 24, which issometimes referred to as a mobile telephone switching center or a“switch.” The MSC 24 makes voice connections between mobileradiotelephones and other telecommunications networks. Softwareexecuting at the MSC 24 typically determines whether the radiotelephoneidentified by the message is an authorized user or subscriber by lookingup the unit's telephone number, serial number, and other informationsupplied by the message to see if there is an entry in the MSC's userdatabase (not shown) corresponding to that particular telephone. Anoptional function of an MSC 24 is to validate that the ESN and MINreceived as part of a call origination message are valid. If the MIN isvalid and the radiotelephone is identified as a subscriber within thegiven cellular system, i.e., a “home” unit, the MSC 24 compares thereceived ESN to a user database entry to detect fraud. If these checkssucceed, the cellular call is then allowed to proceed.

When a mobile radiotelephone first powers up or first enters a CMRsystem 8 when already powered, the unit can identify itself as activelypresent within the system. The radiotelephone identifies itself orregisters through a process known as autonomous registration bysupplying a data packet of information similar to that of a callorigination message. The autonomous registration signal, also referredto as a registration or an identification signal, typically comprisesdata fields for at least a mobile telephone number, i.e., the MIN, andan ESN. Unlike the autonomous registration signal, the call originationsignal can include a data field containing the digits of the telephonenumber to be called, and a flag within a data field to distinguish thismessage from a registration signal.

An original design goal of autonomous registration was improving theefficiency of potential future call deliveries by informing the MSC 24of the approximate whereabouts of each individual radiotelephone unitand by reducing paging channel load by lessening the need to page allcells 12 to find a particular cellular unit. Thus informed, the MSC 24can later page or attempt to ring the cellular unit only in the cell 12or area of the cellular unit's last known location. Additional cells 12would be paged only if the initial page did not locate the particularradiotelephone. Thus, the autonomous registration function can beimplemented as messages periodically and autonomously sent from themobile radiotelephone to the serving cell 12 at an interval specified indata parameters previously received from the cell 12 by the cellularunit.

A subscriber using or attempting to use his or her mobile radiotelephonein a service area outside the home service area is said to be roaming,and he or she (and the associated mobile radiotelephone unit) iscommonly referred to as a roamer. For example, if a subscriber entersthe service area of another CMR system service provider and powers onthe radiotelephone, the radiotelephone will subsequently receive amessage via the overhead control channel of the particular cell 12 inwhich the telephone then resides. This message will include a requestthat the subscriber register for operation in the particular cellularsystem. In response, the radiotelephone unit transmits both the mobiletelephone number and the serial number as identifying information backto the cell site 12. The cell 12 forwards this information to a MSC 24,which quickly ascertains whether the radiotelephone unit is a customerof the local cellular service provider or the customer of anothercellular system.

If the radiotelephone unit is a customer of another cellular serviceprovider, the MSC 24 will send a message packet to the home system forthe particular telephone unit. This message indicates that theparticular radio telephone unit has registered in another cellularsystem and requests information about the validity of the number andaccount information for the radio telephone unit. The home systemresponds by transmitting a responsive packet containing the requestedinformation. If valid, the MSC 24 at the foreign cellular system willthen add the roamer to its list of registered users and the homecellular system will add the subscriber associated with the radiotelephone unit to a list of roamers that are out of the service area andregistered in another area.

When this same radiotelephone unit registers with yet another system,the user database at the MSC 24 for the home system will observe thatthe unit has moved again and will update the database list of where theroaming unit has most recently registered in a user database system. Inaddition, it will send a message to the first foreign system providingnotification that the roaming unit has now moved on and registered inanother system, and that the first foreign system should delete theparticular unit from its list of registered roamers. In this manner, theuser databases at the various MSCs 24 are not cluttered with dataidentifying previously registered roamers as valid accounts for whichservice should be provided, when these roamers may have long since leftthe area of service.

The data message system 10 supports the collection and communication ofdata to a central data collection site 40 by reporting systemsassociated with numerous data sources 30. A typical CMR system 8includes a geographic radio service area, such as indicated by the cell12, of which a plurality of cells are typically provided in a typicalcellular service operator's system. The cell 12 is served by a broadcastantenna 14 to permit communications between cellular mobileradiotelephones operating within the cell 12 and a cell control 16. Amobile telephone switching office, such as the MSC 24, can communicatewith the cell 12 either by dedicated telephone facilities (not shown)or, more frequently, by a cell-to-mobile switching center data link 22between the cell control 16 and the MSC 24. At least a portion of thedata link 22 is typically supported by a wireless communications link,such as the microwave link 20, located between the cell 12 and the MSC24.

A typical CMR system 8 comprises at least one mobile telephone switchcoupled to an appropriate array of more or less identically equippedcell sites 12. The MSC 24 normally couples telephone conversationsinvolving mobile radiotelephones operating in the cell 12 to the PSTN 26through telephone facilities 26.

The data collection system 40 includes a set of data reporting devices29, each comprising at least one monitor 32 for collecting data fromremote data sources 30 and a cellular communications device 34 forcommunicating the collected data via an overhead control channel of theCMR system 8 to the MSC 24. The monitor 32 depicted in FIG. 3A, which isconnected to a corresponding remote data source 30 via a signal path 31,obtains and records selected data directed to the operation orperformance characteristics of the data source 30.

Referring briefly back to FIGS. 1 and 2, for collecting data in avehicle application, each data reporting device 29 can comprise a CMRtransceiver 160 coupled to one or more vehicle systems, via a telemetrysystem 165 as described above. The monitor 30 can include a GPS 250, anairbag deployment sensor 260, or a security system 270. The monitor 30can also comprise a control function that may be integral with orseparate from the telemetry system 165.

Referring now to FIG. 3A, the cellular communications device 34, whichis connected to the corresponding monitor 32 via a signal path 33,prepares a data packet containing the selected data and transmits thepacket as a data message. The communication device 34 can comprise theCMR transceiver 160 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and discussed above.The selected data represents actual data acquired by the monitor 32 inresponse to monitoring the operation or performance of the data source30. Alternatively, the selected data can represent predetermined data ora preprogrammed message that is associated with the detection of acertain event by the monitor 32 for the data source 30.

The MSC 24 receives the data message via a cellular network overheadcontrol channel 38 formed by the combination of the data link 22 and acellular communications link 36 between the broadcast antenna 14 and thecellular communications device 34. This combination of communicationslinks is collectively referred to as the overhead control channel. Acellular network control channel for a typical CMR system 8 comprisestwo radio channels that are commonly described as a FOCC and a RECC, asdescribed above. The FOCC serves communications initiated by the MSC 24to a radiotelephone unit, while the RECC serves communications from theradiotelephone to the MSC 24. The communications operations between theMSC 24 and the cellular communications device 34 also follow thisconvention. In particular, the overhead control channel 38 comprises twoseparate data communications paths, an FOCC for communications initiatedby the MSC 24 and an RECC for communications initiated by the cellularcommunications devices 34 (or mobile radiotelephones operating withinthe cell 12). Accordingly, the cellular communications device 34transmits data messages via the RECC, whereas the MSC 24 transmitscommand signals via the FOCC.

In this manner, the MSC 24 receives data messages from each of thecellular communication devices 34 operating within the coverage areas ofan array of cells for the CMR system 8. Although the data messagescontain selected data rather than the parameters normally contained inan actual radiotelephone control information, the MSC 24 operates uponthe data messages as if they were transmitted by a cellularradiotelephone unit operating within the coverage area of the CMR system8 because the format of the data messages makes them appear as typicalcall origination signals generated by a radiotelephone unit.

The MSC 24, in response to a data message, can conduct one or more ofthe following operations: store the data message for processing at alater date, process the selected data supplied by the data message, orforward the data message to a data collection system 40 via a firstcommunications link 42. The data collection system 40, which isconnected to a memory storage device 44, collects the selected data bystoring the received data messages within the memory storage device 44.Similar to the MSC 24, the data collection system 40 also can processthe selected data to obtain further information concerning the operationor performance of the data sources 30. Alternatively, the datacollection system 40 can send the information of the data message to adata processing system 46 via a second communications link 48. The dataprocessing system 46 is typically remotely located from the datacollection system 40 and facilitates convenient processing of theselected data at a central site. The second communications link 48 istypically implemented by a telephone facility, a dedicated data link, orby a wireless communications link.

In addition to providing an efficient communication network forinterfacing with a vehicle 105, the data collection system 40 canacquire data from a wide variety of data sources, such as utilitymeters, CATV PPV terminals, vending machines, equipment operating atisolated sites, industrial machinery, security alarm systems, etc.

For example, in conjunction with collecting data from and sendingcommands to the vehicle 105, the data collection system 40 can monitorone or more loads of an electrical utility system and communicate energyconsumption data to a central site for processing. The utility industrytypically determines the effectiveness of an electrical load managementsystem for a selected control scenario by collecting or monitoringenergy consumption data for certain customers during load managementactivities. In particular, the utility compares the maximum energyconsumed by the selected customers for certain collection periods to themaximum energy that would be consumed by those customers in the absenceof any load management activities. A utility typically uses a loadprofile recorder located proximate to each customer's electrical loadfor recording the customer's power consumption during predetermined timeintervals. Upon the conclusion of the collection period, the recordedenergy consumption data is then forwarded from each load profilerecorder to a central data processing site such as the illustrated dataprocessing system 46, for data translation and evaluation.

The CMR system 8 can support the operations of such an electricalutility application in tandem or parallel with the vehicle applicationand other applications. Select monitors 32 operate as recorders toobtain operational data from the data sources 30, such as sensorscoupled to the vehicle 105. The cellular communications device 34thereafter transmits a data message containing this operational data tothe MSC 24. The MSC 24 can then forward the data message to the datacollection system 40 for processing of the data or, in turn, the datacollection system 40 sends the data message to the data processingsystem 46 for processing operations. In this manner, an operator of asystem or fleet of vehicles 105 can collect operational data from eachvehicle 105 in the fleet to support evaluating and optimizing theeffectiveness and profitability of its business operations.

In view of the foregoing general information about cellular systemoperations, and referring still to FIG. 3A, in response to thetransmission of a data message by a cellular communications device 34,the MSC 24 typically makes a determination whether the cellularcommunications device 34 that transmitted the data message is anauthorized user or subscriber of the services offered by the cellularsystem 8 or another system. As shown in FIG. 3B, the data message,formatted as a call origination signal associated with the callorigination function, can include certain information that identifiesthe cellular communications device 34 as a radiotelephone unit whichnormally operates within a certain remote or “foreign” cellular system.Based upon this information, the MSC 24 decides that the cellularcommunications device 34 is a roamer because it appears to subscribe tothe cellular service offered by another cellular system, which, in thiscase, is the data collection system 40.

The MSC 24 can maintain a list or user database (not shown) havingentries corresponding to the identification information in the datamessage. At least a portion of the identification information identifiesthe source of the call origination signal as belonging to a particularcellular system. By checking this user database, the MSC 24 determineswhether the cellular communications device 34 is a subscriber or aroamer. A subscriber is typically listed as an entry in the userdatabase, whereas a roamer is generally not initially listed in the userdatabase. Thus, it will be understood that the MSC 24 interprets thedata message as a transmission from a roaming mobile radiotelephoneoperating within the CMR system 8 because the user database fails tocontain an entry identifying the cellular source as a home unit.

In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the remotecellular system identified by the data message can be dedicated to datacollection applications, rather than voice communications, and isrepresented by the data collection system 40. This data collectionsystem 40 can be the communication gateway 135 depicted in FIG. 1 anddescribed above.

The remote cellular system represents the home location register (“HLR”)for the cellular service responsible for transmission of the datamessage. In recognition that the cellular communications device 34 isactually associated with the remote cellular system, the MSC 24 forwardsthe data message to the data collection system 40 via the firstcommunications link 42.

The data collection system 40 receives the data message containingselected data collected from the remote data source 30 and, unlike theMSC 24, recognizes that the data message actually contains the desireddata collected from a remote data source 30. Accordingly, the datacollection system 40 transmits a message to the MSC 24 that instructsthe MSC 24 to delete the cellular communication device 34 from its listof registered roamers. It will be understood that the MSC 24 wouldnormally receive this type of message when a roaming radiotelephone hasmoved to another cellular system and subsequently registered foroperation on that other system. Thus, the user database of the MSC 24 isno longer required to maintain the registration information concerningthe cellular communications device 34 after transferring the datamessage to the data collection system 40.

Alternatively, the data collection system 40 can respond to the datamessage by transmitting a message which confirms that the roamer is avalid user and further instructs the MSC 24 to delete the registrationentry upon the expiration of the certain time interval. As a separateoption, the MSC 24 can automatically delete a registration entry fromthe MSC user database upon expiration of a certain time period withoutany instruction from the data collection system 40. In this manner, thedata collection system 40 is not required to send yet another message tothe MSC 24 after the data collection system 40 confirms that thecellular communications device 34 represents a valid user.

The MSC 24 and the data collection system 40 can be compatible with theIS-41 standard that defines a communications protocol for communicationsbetween two cellular systems. The IS-41 standard includes provisionsthat facilitate the handoff of cellular calls between dissimilarcellular systems, not unlike the way that calls are handed-off betweencells 12 of a single CMR system 8. In addition, the IS-41 standardpermits call deliveries and communications exchange for verifyingwhether a cellular caller is a valid cellular service subscriber. Inthis manner, the MSC 24 implements the handoff by forwarding the datamessage to the data collection system 40 via the first communicationslink 42, which can be implemented as an IS-41-compatible network. Inresponse, the data collection system 40 sends a user validation messagevia the link 42 to confirm that the source of the data message,specifically a cellular communications device 34, is a valid cellularsource.

In particular, the data collection system 40 recognizes that thereceived data message contains selected data which a cellularcommunications device 34 has transmitted. Accordingly, the datacollection system 40 processes the received data message and comparesthe predetermined identifying characteristic in its data message to alist of such characteristics in its user database. This user databasecan contain an entry of the predetermined identifying characteristic foreach of the known cellular communications devices 34 and correspondingdata that identifies the associated device as a valid cellular source.Upon obtaining a positive match, the data collection system 40 respondsto the received data message by sending to the MSC 24 a validationmessage. The validation message confirms that the roamer associated withthe data message is a valid or authorized user of the remote cellularsystem. However, the data collection system 40 also advises the MSC 24to not complete the requested call because there is no need to connectthe cellular communications device 34 to a voice channel of the CMRsystem 8 for completing a voice-based telephone communication. Based onthe valid user response, the cellular communications device 34 isthereafter added as a registered cellular source to a user database ofregistered roamers at the MSC 24. It will be appreciated that the datacollection system 40 also can forward to the MSC 24 a message confirmingthe absence of a valid entry for the cellular communications device 34in response to a negative match.

This validation message can also include a profile of communicationsservices that are authorized for use by the particular cellular source.For example, this user profile typically defines operational limitationsfor the cellular source, including access to long distance services, thecapability for the source to only originate (and not receive) calls viathe cellular system, etc. For example, user profile information cancontain an instruction that commands the MSC 24 to delete from its userdatabase the registration entry for a particular cellular communicationsdevice after the expiration of a defined time period. This functionallows the MSC 24 to clear from its user database entries cellularcommunications devices 34 that have communicated data messages via theMSC 24 when such devices no longer require continued communicationssupport from the MSC 24. For example, such devices do not requirecontinued support for voice communications because they do not requireassignment of a voice channel.

The data collection system 40 can store selected data supplied by thereceived data message within the memory storage device 44, can processthe selected data and store the resultant data, or can forward theselected data to the data processing system 46 for processing. Prior tosending the selected data to the data processing system 46, the datacollection system 40 first converts the data message to an acceptablecommunications protocol for conveying the data message to the dataprocessing system 46. This step may be necessary prior to communicationwith the data processing system 46 because, unlike the MSC 24 and thedata collection system 40, neither the data processing system 46 nor thesecond communications link 48 may be compatible with the IS-41 standard.

Although the MSC 24 may be programmed to treat the cellularcommunications devices 34 as roamers associated with a foreign cellularsystem, the user database of the MSC 24 also can be programmed tocontain entries for predetermined identifying characteristics of thosecellular communications devices 34 operating within cells 12 of thecellular system 8. Upon receiving a data message via the overheadcontrol channel 38 from such a device 34, an MSC 24 containing such userdatabase entries identifies the transmitting cellular communicationsdevice 34 as a home unit rather than as a roamer because the MSC userdatabase contains an entry that corresponds to the predeterminedidentifying characteristic supplied by the message. Thus, the MSC 24registers the transmitting cellular communications device 34 as a homeunit of the cellular system 8. This provision avoids a need to contact aforeign cellular system, such as the data collection system 40, toinquire whether the cellular source is a valid user or subscriber ofcellular services.

However, to initiate transfer of the information in the data message tothe data collection system 40, the MSC 24 can be adapted to recognizethat data messages should still be forwarded to the data collectionsystem 40. Specifically, based upon a portion of the predeterminedidentifying characteristic that is uniquely associated with the datacollection system 40, the MSC 24 locates an entry in its user databasethat commands the switch 24 to send all messages containing such acharacteristic to the data collection system 40. Accordingly, the MSC 24thereafter forwards the data message via the first communications link42 to the data collection system 40.

The data collection system 40 can be implemented by a computer. In oneexemplary embodiment of the present invention, the data collectionsystem 40 is the computer of a service circuit node. Certainmanufacturers of switches, such as the MSC 24, also offer devices forimplementing communications with the data collection system 40,including the Motorola EMX switch and other vendor proprietary switches.Switch manufacturers include: AT&T Network Systems, Whippany, N.J.;Ericsson Radio Systems, Richardson, Tex.; Hughes Network Systems,Germantown, Md.; and Motorola, Schaumburg, Ill.

The cellular system 8 is can be implemented as an AMPS or a DAMPScellular system. However, it will be appreciated that the cellularsystem 8 also can be compatible with alternative cellular systemsimplementing an overhead control channel for mobile to cellcommunications, including the cellular systems known as: DCS 1800, IS95-CDMA, JTACS, TACS, ETACS, RC 2000, NMT 450, ESMR, WACS, NMT 900, orother wireless systems.

It will be appreciated that the CMR system 8 includes an array of cells,such as the cell 12, and that a set of reporting systems 29, each formedby the monitor 32 and the cellular communications device 34, aretypically located in a cell 12. For each data source 30 within the cell12, the monitor 32 and the cellular communication device 34 can belocated proximate to the data source 30 to minimize the lengths of thesignal paths 31 and 33. To facilitate economical installation of thereporting device, the monitor 32 and the cellular communication device34 can be combined within the same housing and this housing can beinstalled either adjacent to or as an integral part of the data source30. For an installation proximate to the data source 30, the signal path31 and the signal path 33 form hard-wired connections between theconnected devices. Nevertheless, it will be appreciated that the signalpaths 31 and 33 also can be implemented as either infraredcommunications links or wireless communications links.

It will be understood that a single cellular communications device 34can be connected to multiple monitors 32 to permit the transmission ofselected data collected from associated data sources 30 located at acentral site. For example, a single cellular communications device 34can be mounted at a central location within or along an office buildingand multiple monitors 32 can be distributed throughout the building topermit the acquisition of data from the associated data sources 30, suchas vending machines or utility meters dispersed within the buildingfacility.

The data collection system 40 can be located proximate to or as anintegral part of the MSC 24, in which case the first communication link42 can form a hard-wired connection between the devices. However, thedata collection system 40 also can be positioned at a remote site. Forthis remote installation, the first communications link 42 can beimplemented as a wireless communications system, such as a microwavesystem, or as a dedicated data line, such as a telephone facility. Forthe convenience of the party that is sponsoring the collection of aparticular type of data, the data processing system 46 is typicallylocated at another remote site that is typically proximate to thesponsoring party.

FIG. 3B is a table that shows the format for the data message that iscommunicated by the data message system 10. Referring now to FIGS. 3Aand 3B, a data record 50 for the data message contains both a data field54 for the selected data acquired from the remote data source 30 andanother data field 52 for a predetermined identifying characteristicwhich uniquely identifies the cellular communications device 34 thatinitiates the transmission of the data message. The data fields can beseparated by one or more selected characters to delimit the data fields.To take advantage of the existing architecture of a CMR system 8, theformat for the data message can be identical to the message format (ordata record) of a typical call origination signal that is transmitted bya cellular radiotelephone when it originates a cellular call forcommunication via a CMR system 8.

By using the data message format associated with a call originationmessage, the cellular communications device 34 can mimic the initiationof a cellular telephone call by sending a data message that appears tocontain a valid mobile telephone number and an ESN. Although it is notintended for the cellular communications device 34 to place avoiced-based cellular telephone call, the cellular communications device34 imitates a cellular radiotelephone device by generating the callorigination-formatted signal, thereby enabling a data communication ofselected data to the MSC 24.

As shown in the data record 50 in FIG. 3B, the message format for a callorigination signal has been adapted by the data message to permit theidentification of the particular transmitting cellular communicationsdevice 34 and the communication of the selected data. In particular, thedata field 52 for the predetermined identifying characteristiccorresponds to at least a portion of a mobile telephone number or MINassigned to the cellular communications device 34. Thus, thepredetermined identifying characteristic is substituted within the datafield normally reserved for the MIN in the call origination signal. Thispredetermined identifying characteristic can belong to a set ofunassigned mobile telephone numbers. Alternatively, the predeterminedidentifying characteristic assigned to each cellular communicationsdevice 34 can be a telephone number or a set of 10 digits. Thepredetermined identifying characteristic facilitates identifying thesource of the data by uniquely specifying the cellular communicationsdevice 34 associated with the remote data source 30. The predeterminedidentifying characteristic also supplies information used by the MSC 24to recognize that the data message containing this predeterminedidentifying characteristic is associated with the data collection system40.

Furthermore, the data field 54 in the data message for remote datacorresponds to the location within the data record of a call originationsignal for the ESN. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that thetypical ESN data field is 32 bits long and includes 8 bits for amanufacturer code. For cellular systems that do not review or screenESNs based upon the manufacturer code segment, it is possible tomanipulate the data field normally filled by an ESN to supply a datamessage having a data field 54 containing 32 bits of selected data.However, if the cellular system uses the manufacturer code segment ofthe ESN, the selected data within the data field 54 comprises a lengthdefined by the remaining 24 bits of the ESN. In most circumstances, itwill not be necessary to manipulate the manufacturer's code segment ofthe ESN because a data message having 24 bits of selected data (and, asrequired, 8 bits of the manufacturer code segment for a ESN) should besufficient to supply relevant data. As an option, a “called addressfield” (not shown), which normally contains the digits for the calledparty's telephone number, can be used for the placement of selected datawithin the data message.

Although adapting certain predefined data fields of a call originationsignal is one method for forwarding selected data in a data message tothe MSC 24, the message protocol for a registration signal associatedwith the autonomous registration function also can be used to senddesired information from the cellular communications device 34 to theMSC 24 via the overhead control channel 38. The call origination signalis substantially similar to the signal for the autonomous registrationfunction, with the exception that the call origination signal includesthe called address field and a flag to distinguish the call originationsignal from the autonomous registration function. This flag permits theCMR system 8 to determine whether a call origination function or aregistration function should be conducted in response to a reception ofthese signals.

As an alternative to one type of ESN, an expandable ESN field has beenproposed by members of the cellular radiotelephone industry. The CMRsystem 8 can utilize an expandable ESN data field to increase the datacarrying capacity of the call origination signal or autonomousregistration signal. One source of motivation behind this proposal isthe potential depletion of available distinctive data sequences for themanufacturer's codes and for other data (e.g., identifyingcharacteristics of each radiotelephone). Because of the increasingpopularity of radiotelephones, this depletion has recently become a moreimminent concern to the cellular radiotelephone industry.

As discussed, the ESN data field can be 32 bits long and can reserve 8bits for a manufacturer code. An expandable ESN data field permits a CMRsystem 8 to recognize a triggering mechanism within the call originationsignal or autonomous registration signal, which alerts the CMR system 8to look elsewhere in the call origination or autonomous registrationsignal for additional data. Such an expandable ESN data field permits amanufacturer's code to fill the entire ESN data field while permittingthe inclusion of additional data within the call origination orautonomous registration signal. The additional data would be accessibleto a CMR system 8 that is alerted to the existence of the expandable ESNand to the location of the additional data within the call originationsignal or autonomous registration signal.

The expandable ESN data field concept can also be utilized by the datamessage system 10. To enable the use of expandable ESN data fields, thedata message, formatted as either a call origination signal or anautonomous registration signal, may contain a predetermined triggeringmechanism that indicates the ESN data field contained in the datamessage is an expandable ESN data field. In response to the triggeringmechanism, the data collection system 40 will be alerted that the ESNdata field contains more data than that defined by the EIA/TIA Standard553 protocol. The data collection system 40 will then look to anotherportion of the call origination signal or autonomous registration signalfor the additional data. An expandable ESN data field, therefore, caninclude an ESN data field as well as one or more additional data fields,such as an ESN2 data field.

The triggering mechanism may be implemented in various ways. A firstmethod is to include an ESN flag bit in the call origination signal orautonomous registration signal data packet. For example, if the ESN flagbit is set to a binary one value, then the data collection system 40will be alerted to identify the additional data in another portion ofthe data packet. If, on the other hand, the ESN flag bit is set to abinary zero value, then the data collection system 40 will not look foradditional data, and will merely process the data within the standarddata packet.

In addition to using each MIN or overhead control channel as a separatedata link, a reporting device 29 or a telemetry system 165 can havemultiple MINs or overhead control channels. That is, the foregoingdiscussion of FIGS. 3A and B can apply to having a single MIN oroverhead control channel for one or more reporting devices 29 ortelemetry systems 165 or to having multiple MINs 210, 202, 203, 204 oroverhead control channels 410, 420, 430, 440 dedicated to a singlereporting device 29 or telemetry system 165. Thus, the systemillustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B supports the communication link 140illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and discussed above in reference to thosefigures.

Turning now to FIG. 4, this figure illustrates a schematicrepresentation of a wireless communication link 140 according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention. The wireless link 140comprises four overhead control channels 410, 420, 430, 440 with eachone having a respective MIN 210, 202, 203, 204.

The wireless link 140 can operate more effectively or more efficientlythan would four individual MINs or four individual overhead controlchannels functioning in an uncoordinated manner. The system 100 canestablish or use relationships between each of the four illustrated MINS201, 202, 203, 204 or overhead control channels 1, 2, 3, and 4 410, 420,430, 440 to enhance the data carrying capacity or capability of the datalink 140.

In one exemplary embodiment, the data processing system 46 sendscommands or pages to the telemetry system 165 on overhead controlchannels 2, 3, and 4, 420, 430, 440 or MINs 2, 3, and 4, 202, 203, 204and receives confirmation registration of command receipt on overheadcontrol channel 1 410 or MIN 1 201. Thus, during a period of operation,one MIN 202, 203, 204 or overhead control channel 420, 430, 440 can sendforward page messages 145 while another MIN 201 or overhead controlchannel 410 returns reverse responses or telemetry data 146.

Using one MIN/overhead control channel to communicate in the forwarddirection and another MIN/overhead control channel to communicate in thereverse direction circumvents the delay that an MSC 24 typically needsto prepare a MIN/overhead control channel for reversing itscommunication direction. As discussed above, the CMR transceiver 160 andthe data processing system typically waits a preset time delay, such as65 seconds, between receiving a message on a specific MIN/overheadcontrol channel and sending a reply on that same MIN/overhead controlchannel. Sending on a first MIN/overhead control channel and receivingon a second MIN/overhead control channel avoids this delay. In oneexemplary embodiment, the communication link 140 dedicates certainoverhead control channels or MINs to each of forward and reversecommunication for a selected or intermittent time interval. In anotherexemplary embodiment, a MIN or overhead control channel is permanentlydedicated to each of forward and reverse data transmission.

As another approach to enhancing the functionality of the data link 140,the microprocessor system 210 can interpret or decode a page, message,signal, transmission, or prompt that it receives on a specificMIN/overhead control channel based on information obtained outside ofthat communication. That is, a recipient of a transmission on anoverhead control channel or MIN can associate a specific meaning withthe transmission from two or more possible meanings based on informationthat is available from a source other than that transmission. Forexample, a transmission can have a first meaning if the recipient is inone state and a second meaning if the recipient is in another state.Another transmission, which may occur on another overhead controlchannel or MIN, can cause such a state change of the recipient, forexample.

As will be discussed in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 5-8,the telemetry system 165 interprets a page received on overhead controlchannel 4 440 or MIN 4 204 as a command to enable starting of thevehicle 105 if the vehicle 105 is in a disabled state. A page 145 onoverhead control channel 3 430 or MIN 3 203 can cause such a disabledstate, for example. On the other hand, if the vehicle 105 is in anenabled state at the time of receiving the page 145 on overhead controlchannel 4 440 or MIN 4 204, the telemetry system 165 interprets a page145 on overhead control channel 4 440 or MIN 4 204 as a request totransmit the vehicle's location.

Creating relationships between pages 145 on individual overhead controlchannels 410, 420, 430, 440 or MINs 210, 202, 203, 204 of the data link140 can enhance communication efficiency. Receipt (or lack of receipt)of a forward or reverse message 145, 146 on one overhead control channel410, 420, 430, 440 or MIN 210, 202, 203, 204 during a specified timeinterval can specify the meaning of another message on another overheadcontrol channel 410, 420, 430, 440 or MIN 210, 202, 203, 204. That is, arecipient can interpret a message received on one overhead controlchannel 410, 420, 430, 440 or MIN 210, 202, 203, 204 as having one oftwo possible interpretations based on whether the recipient received amessage on another overhead control channel 410, 420, 430, 440 or MIN210, 202, 203, 204.

Processes and components of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention will be further described in reference to the remainingfigures, which include illustrations of flowcharts that can be embodiedin software programs or modules. The software modules 215 of themicroprocessor system 210 and/or the data processing programs 170 of thedata processing system 46 can comprise such software programs ormodules. To promote readership and understanding, the followingdiscussion of those figures will largely reference each of the overheadcontrol channel-MIN pairs 410, 201, 420, 202, 430, 203, 440, 204 thatFIG. 4 illustrates as a MIN 201, 202, 203, 204. That is, those skilledin the art will appreciate that communicating MIN 1 201 or communicatingon MIN 1 201, for example, may be viewed as overhead control channel 1410 carrying a communication.

The present invention can comprise multiple computer programs thatembody the functions described herein and that are illustrated in theexemplary functional block diagrams and the appended flowcharts.However, it should be apparent that there could be many different waysof implementing the invention in computer programming, and the inventionshould not be construed as limited to any one set of computer programinstructions. Further, a skilled programmer would be able to write sucha computer program to implement the disclosed invention withoutdifficulty based on the exemplary displays, functional block diagrams,and flowcharts and associated description in the application text, forexample.

Therefore, disclosure of a particular set of program code instructionsis not considered necessary for an adequate understanding of how to makeand use the invention. The inventive functionality of the computerprogram aspects of the present invention will be explained in moredetail in the following description in conjunction with the remainingfigures illustrating the functions and program flow.

Certain steps in the processes described below must naturally precedeothers for the present invention to function as described. However, thepresent invention is not limited to the order of the steps described ifsuch order or sequence does not alter the functionality of the presentinvention. That is, it is recognized that some steps may be performedbefore or after other steps or in parallel with other steps withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Turning now to FIGS. 5A and 5B, these figures illustrate a flowchart ofa process 500, entitled Disable Vehicle, for remotely disabling avehicle 105 according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

At Step 502, the first step in Process 500, the web-based GUI 125displays the current state or status of the vehicle 105. Thus the user,who is typically the vehicle's owner, can observe whether starting ofthe vehicle 502 is enabled or disabled. The data processing system 46can maintain this information for ready access via the Internet 120.Alternatively, the system 100 can dynamically obtain the vehicle'senabled/disabled status in response to the user logging onto the GUI125.

At Step 505, the user observes that the GUI 125 indicates that startingof the vehicle 105 is enabled. The user enters a request to disable thevehicle 105 into the GUI 125. The user may press a key or select adesignated area on a screen, for example.

At Step 510, the GUI 125 sends the request to the data processing system46 via the Internet 120 for receipt at Step 515. At Step 520, the dataprocessing system 46 determines the assignment or numerical identity ofthe MIN 3 203 of the CMR transceiver 160 located at the user's vehicle105. A database at the data processing system 46 can maintain thisinformation as a table, for example.

At Step 525, the data processing system 46 transmits the MIN 3 203, orits numerical identification, to the communication gateway 135. At Step530, the communication gateway 135 receives the MIN 3 203 and inserts itinto a page 145. That is, the communication gateway 135 constructs apage 145 addressed to the CMR transceiver 160, specifically using MIN 3203 as the address.

At Step 535, the communication gateway 135 passes the page 145 to thecellular network 130 for broadcast across the CMR system 8 at Step 540.Thus, the communication gateway 540 causes sending of a signal on theFOCC of the overhead control channel 3 430. That is, a wireless signalcarrying the numerical designation of MIN 3 203 transmits in thecellular network 130 and is available for receipt by various wirelessreceivers in the network 130. However, the MIN 3 203 specificallymatches the user's vehicle 105 and thus causes that vehicle's CMRtransceiver 160 to exclusively receive the page 145. Thus at Step 545,which FIG. 5B illustrates, the CMR transceiver 160 of the user's vehicle105 recognizes the page 140 comprising MIN 3 203 for receipt at Step550.

At Step 555, the CMR transceiver 160 transmits a confirmationregistration through the cellular network 130 via the RECC of channel 1410 in response to receiving the MIN 3 203. That is, the CMR transceiver160 receives a message on MIN 3 203 and acknowledges receipt of thatmessage by sending a reply message on MIN 1 201.

At Step 560, the communication gateway 135 receives the MIN 1confirmation registration from the cellular network 130. Thecommunication gateway 135 passes that confirmation message to the dataprocessing system 46. At Step 565, the data processing system 46receives the confirmation message or registration and places it in aincoming registration table and a corresponding page log table. The dataprocessing system 46 maintains a record of messages sent on FOCCs andreplies received on RECCs.

At Step 570, the telemetry system 165 interprets the page 145 on MIN 3203 as a command to disable the vehicle's starter. Specifically, the CMRtransceiver 160 passes the MIN 3 data to the microprocessor system 210for processing by the software modules 215. A lookup table in firmwareor nonvolatile memory or a DIP switch setting can specify theinterpretation of the MIN 3 203. Thus based on this setting, each timethe CMR transceiver 160 receives a page 145 on MIN 3 203, the telemetrysystem 165 interprets the MIN 3 203 as a command to disable the vehicle105. That interpretation remains consistent regardless of the state ofthe telemetry system 165 or of any other pages 145 that may betransmitted on channels 1, 2, or 4 410, 420, 440.

At Step 575, the telemetry system 165 energizes or engages the relay 230linked to the starter circuit 280 to interrupt starting the vehicle 105upon an attempt to start the vehicle 105. That is, in response to theincoming MIN 3 203, the relay 230 a interrupts subsequent attempts tostart the vehicle 105, which is thereby disabled. Following Step 575,Process 500 ends.

Turning now to FIGS. 6A and 6B, these figures illustrate a flowchart ofa process 600, entitled Enable Vehicle, for enabling a vehicle 105 tostart according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.Process 600 can enable the vehicle 105 after a user has disabled it byexecuting Process 500, as discussed above and illustrated in FIGS. 5Aand 5B.

At Step 602, the first step in Process 600, the GUI 125 displays thecurrent status of the vehicle 105 and specifically whether starting isenabled or disabled. At Step 605, the user notes that the vehicle 105 isin a disabled state and seeks to change it to an enabled state. Thus,the user enters a request or prompt into the GUI 125 to enable startingof the vehicle 105.

At Step 610, the user's request transmits over the Internet 120 to thedata processing system 46 for receipt at Step 615. At Step 640, the dataprocessing system 46 determines the specific MIN 4 204 assigned to theCMR transceiver 160 of the user's vehicle 105.

At Step 645, data processing system 46 passes the MIN 4 204 to thecommunication gateway 135, typically using TCP/IP protocol as discussedabove. At Step 650, the communication gateway 135 receives the MIN 4204, which at this stage can be a number or set of digits. Thecommunication gateway 135 inserts the MIN 4 number or digits into a page145, thereby addressing that page 145 to the vehicle's CMR transceiver160.

At Step 655, the communication gateway 135 forwards an instruction tothe cellular network 130 to broadcast a page 145 comprising the MIN 4number or digits. In response, the cellular network 130 broadcasts thepage 145 throughout the cellular geographic region at Step 660.

At Step 665, which FIG. 6B illustrates, the CMR transceiver 160recognizes the page 145 as having the MIN 4 address 204, whichdesignates it for receipt. At Step 670, the specific CMR transceiver 160of the user's vehicle receives that page 145.

At Step 675, the CMR transceiver 160 acknowledges receipt of the MIN 4204 by sending a registration signal on MIN 1 201. At Step 680, thecommunication gateway 135 receives the confirmation registration fromthe CMR transceiver 160 and forwards it to the data processing system46.

At Step 682, the data processing system 46 records the confirmationregistration and matches it with the corresponding paging record entryto indicate successfully delivery. At Step 685, which FIG. 7 illustratesin flowchart format as discussed below, the CMR transceiver 160 decodesthe MIN 4 page 145 to determine or interpret the message that itembodies, conveys, or contains.

As an outcome of the decoding of Step 685, at Step 690, the telemetrysystem 165 interprets the page 145 of MIN 4 204 as a command to enablestarting the vehicle 105. In response to this interpretation, thetelemetry system 165 sets the relay 230 a so that it does not interruptthe starter circuit 280 when the vehicle's driver attempts to start thevehicle 105. In other words, in response to the MIN 4 204, the telemetrysystem 165 allows starting of the vehicle 105, without interfering withthe starting process. Following Step 695, Process 600 ends.

Turning now to FIG. 7, the Step 685 of Process 600 will be discussed asProcess 685. Process 600 calls or invokes Process 685 to determine themeaning of an incoming page on MIN 4 204.

FIG. 7 illustrates a flowchart of Process 685, entitled CMR TransceiverDecodes MIN 4 Page, for decoding a message transmitted on an overheadcontrol channel according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention. Process 685 generally interprets or determines the meaning ofa page 145 on one MIN 201, 202, 203, 204 or overhead control channel410, 420, 430, 440 based on another page 145 on another MIN 201, 202,203, 204 or overhead control channel 410, 420, 430, 440.

Decision Step 725 determines whether the telemetry system 165 or vehicle105 is in a state that enables a driver to start the vehicle 105 or astate that disables or prevents the driver from starting the vehicle105. In one exemplary embodiment, the telemetry system 165 determineswhether the vehicle 105 is enabled or disabled based on whether the CMRtransceiver 160 has received a page 145 on MIN 3 203 within a defined orspecified period of time, such as one second, one minute, one hour, oneday, one week, or a range between any of these times, for example. Asdiscussed above, a MIN 3 page 145 disables attempts to start the vehicle105. In another exemplary embodiment, a sensor or memory element of thetelemetry system 165 identifies the vehicle's state.

If the vehicle 105 or the telemetry system 165 is in a disabled state,at Step 775, logic in the software modules 215 decodes the MIN 4 page145 as a command to enable the vehicle's starter.

On the other hand, if the vehicle 105 or the telemetry system 165 is inan enabled state, at Step 750, logic in the software modules 215 decodesthe MIN 4 page 145 as a command to transmit the vehicle's location astelemetry packets 146 on the wireless data link 140. Following Step 750or Step 775, Process 685 ends.

In one exemplary embodiment of Process 685, if the recipient of a page145 is in a specified state, the recipient interprets that page 145 asan instruction to change the specified state. If the recipient of thepage 145 is in a state other than that specified state, the recipientinterprets the page 145 as a distinct or different instruction.

Process 685 can also be viewed as selecting a meaning of a firsttransmission on a first overhead control channel 410, 420, 430, 440 fromtwo or more possible meanings, based on a second transmission on asecond overhead control channel 410, 420, 430, 440. In one exemplaryembodiment, the first transmission occurs prior to the secondtransmission. In one exemplary embodiment, the second transmissionoccurs prior to the first transmission. In one exemplary embodiment, thetwo transmissions occur in an uncoordinated or un-timed manner. A sendercan simultaneously send the two transmissions or send them during anoverlapping time frame. A recipient can simultaneously receive the twotransmissions or receive them during an overlapping time frame.

Turning now to FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C, these figures illustrate aflowchart of a process 800, entitled Locate Vehicle, for locating avehicle 105 via wireless communication according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention. Like Process 600, Process 800 callsProcess 685 to determine the meaning of an incoming page 145 on MIN 4204 or overhead control channel 4 440.

At Step 803, the first step in Process 800, a user enters a request tolocate his or her vehicle 105 into the GUI 125. At Step 806 the Internet120 transmits the request to the data processing system 46 for receiptat Step 809.

At Step 812, the data processing system 46, using one of its dataprocessing programs 170, checks the incoming registration table and pagelog with reference to CMR transceiver 160 of the user's vehicle 105.Based on the information in one or both of the table and the log, thedata processing system 46 determines whether the user's vehicle 105 isenabled or disabled. In one exemplary embodiment, the data processingsystem 46 determines whether a page 145 was transmitted on MIN 3 203,disabling the vehicle 105, within a threshold time period. Thedetermination can also consider whether a vehicle-enabling eventoccurred after broadcasting the most recent disable page 145 for thatvehicle 105. Such an enabling event could include a page 145 on MIN 4440 per Step 836, discussed below.

Step 814 branches the flow of Process 800 according to the vehicle'sstate. If starting of the vehicle is disabled, Steps 816 through 822follow Step 814, and the user receives the vehicle's location relativelyslowly. If starting of the vehicle 105 is enabled, Steps 824 through 875follow Step 814, and the user receives the vehicle's location with lessdelay. Steps 878 through 884 execute following either branch.

If the vehicle is disabled, at Step 816, the data processing system 46prompts the communication gateway 135 and the cellular network 130 tobroadcast a page 145 on MIN 2 202 or overhead control channel 2 420 as arequest for the vehicle's geographic coordinates or location.

At Step 818, the telemetry system 165 receives the page 145. Based onprogramming logic in one of its software modules, a DIP switch setting,or a firmware configuration, for example, the telemetry system 165determines that the page 145 comprises a request for location data. Inresponse, the telemetry system 165 acquires the vehicle's latitude,longitude, and velocity (speed and heading) from the GPS 250.

At Step 820, the telemetry system 165 waits sufficient time, typically65 seconds, for overhead control channel 2 420 to clear. That is, asufficient time passes or elapses to allow the MSC 24 and thecommunication gateway 135 to prepare overhead control channel 2 420 totransition from forward to reverse communication. During this time, theMSC 24 builds a VLR entry and then deletes or “tears down” the entry inresponse to instructions from the communication gateway 135.

At Step 822, the telemetry system 165 transmits a return registration onoverhead control channel 2 420 or MIN 2 202 containing a telemetrypacket 146 of the vehicle's latitude and speed. Another returnregistration on overhead control channel 1 410 or MIN 1 201 contains thevehicle's longitude and heading as a telemetry packet 146. Since thelongitude and heading packet 146 returns on overhead control channel 1410 in response to a command transmitted on overhead control channel 2420, the telemetry system 165 can transmit that packet immediately orwith minimal delay, rather than waiting 65 seconds.

Step 878 follows the execution of Step 822, as the enabled branch mergeswith the disabled branch between Step 875 and Step 878. At Step 878, thecommunication gateway 135 receives the telemetry packets 146, comprisinglongitude, latitude, speed, and heading, and forwards the packets 146 tothe data processing system 46.

At Step 878, the data processing system 46 receives the telemetrypackets 146, from the communication gateway 135 and extracts thelongitude, latitude, speed, and heading data therefrom. At Step 881, thedata processing system 46 forwards the extracted data to the GUI 125 viathe Internet 120.

At Step 884, the GUI 125 displays the vehicle's location in longitudeand latitude and the vehicle's speed and heading to the user thatrequested this information. As an alternative to displaying rawcoordinates, the GUI 125 can illustrate the location on an electronicmap. Following Step 884, Process 800 ends.

If the vehicle 105 is enabled rather than disabled, decision Step 814branches the flow of process 800 to Step 824 rather than to Step 816, asdiscussed above. The steps of the enabled branch 824-875 avoid using theforward-transmitting channel for reverse-transmitting communication andthereby can respond to a forward-transmitted request for data withoutsignificant delay. Thus, the enabled branch provides relativelyefficient communication with reduced latency.

At Step 824, the data processing system 46 determines the MIN 4 204 thatis assigned to the CMR transceiver 160 of the user's vehicle 105. AtStep 827, the data processing system 46 forwards the MIN 4 number oridentity to the communication gateway 135. At Step 830, thecommunication gateway 135 constructs a MIN 4 page 145 and sends thatpage 145 to the cellular network 130 at Step 833. The cellular network130 broadcasts MIN 4 204 at Step 836.

At Step 839, which FIG. 8B illustrates, the CMR transceiver 160 at theuser's vehicle 105 recognizes that the cellular network 130 hasbroadcast a page 145 having that transceiver's address (MIN 4 204). TheCMR transceiver 160 checks the MIN of each page 145 broadcast on thecellular network 130 to identify each broadcast MIN that matches any ofthe transceiver's assigned MINs 201, 202, 203, 204. The CMR transceiver160 receives the MIN 4 page 145 at Step 842.

At Step 685, which FIG. 7 illustrates in flowchart form, the CMRtransceiver 160 decodes the MIN 4 page 145. As an output or result ofStep 685, at Step 854, the CMR transceiver 160 determines that the page145 on MIN 4 204 comprises a request, instruction, command, or messageto transmit the vehicle's coordinates to the data processing system 46.That is, the CMR transceiver 160 decodes the MIN 4 page 145 as alocation command on the basis that the vehicle 105 is enabled.

At Step 857, the CMR transceiver 160 forwards the command to thetelemetry system's microprocessor system 210. In response, at Step 860,the microprocessor system 212 requests the vehicle's location from theGPS 250.

The GPS 250 responds at Step 863 and sends the latitude, longitude,speed, and heading to the telemetry system 165. At Step 866, themicroprocessor system 210 of the telemetry system 165 formats the datafrom the GPS 250 to facilitate communication on the overhead controlchannels 410, 420. A first telemetry packet 146 comprises latitude andspeed data, while a second telemetry packet 146 comprises longitude andheading data. At Step 869, the telemetry system 165 sends each telemetrypacket 146 to the CMR transceiver 160.

At Step 872, the CMR transceiver 160 transmits the latitude/speed packet146 on overhead control channel 2 420. That is, CMR transceiver 160outputs a signal that comprises two data fields, a MIN field thatcomprises the MIN 2 number 202 and an ESN field that comprises thelatitude and speed data. The CMR transceiver 160 can transmit on channel2 420 in response to the page 145 on overhead control channel 4 440immediately, promptly, or without significant delay.

At Step 875, the CMR transceiver 160 transmits the longitude/headingpacket 146 on overhead control channel 1 410 using MIN 1 201. Similar tothe reply on MIN 2 202, the CMR transceiver 160 can transmit on overheadcontrol channel 1 410 without waiting for overhead control channel 4 440to clear from the forward or page communication.

As discussed above, following Step 875, Process 800 executes Steps 878,881, and 884 and then ends. By using a first overhead control channel440 to deliver a page 145 comprising a request for telemetry data andusing a second and a third overhead control channel to transmit therequested telemetry data in the form of two packets 146, each with adistinct MIN 201, 202, the system 100 reduces latency. Reducing latencybenefits the requestor of the telemetry data.

Turning now to FIG. 9, this figure illustrates a functional blockdiagram of an exemplary microprocessor system 210 that the telemetrysystem 165 comprises according to an embodiment of the presentinvention. In this embodiment, the microprocessor system 210 comprisessoftware modules 215 that can provide application-specificfunctionality. Thus, the microprocessor system 210 can have softwareprograms that support various applications or features.

FIG. 9 illustrates four exemplary software modules, namely a powermodule 930, a door lock module 940, a location module 950, and a speedmodule 960. Each of these modules 930, 940, 950, 960 can comprise rules,logic, and instructions that implement one or more steps of acomputer-based process or method.

The power module 930 comprises computer-executable instructions orsoftware for controlling the operations of the telemetry system 165 toconserve battery power. The power module 930 can turn off or removepower from one or more telemetry subsystems when conditions indicatethat a subsystem's functionality is not needed. The power module'ssoftware can perform one or more steps in Process 1000, Process 1025,Process 1050, or Process 1075 which are respectively illustrated inFIGS. 10, 11, 12, and 13 and discussed below.

The door lock module 940 comprises software for controlling thevehicle's door locks. That software, which the microprocessor 212executes, can output a signal, such as a binary number, that triggersthe relay 230 a to lock or unlock a door, for example. The door lockmodule 940 can implement one or more steps in Process 1400, for whichFIGS. 14A and 14B illustrate a representative flowchart as discussedbelow.

The location module 950 comprises software that identifies conditionsunder which the telemetry system 165 should transmit the vehicle'slocation to the data processing system 46. That is, the location module950 applies criteria to sensor inputs 240, data from the GPS 250, andincoming pages 145. Based on those criteria, the telemetry system 165sends telemetry packets 146 holding the GPS location of the vehicle 105over the data link 140. The location module 950 can implement one ormore of the steps in Process 1500 or Process 1700, which FIGS. 15 and 17respectively illustrate as discussed below.

The speed module 960 analyzes or processes speed data from the GPS 250.Based on the analysis, the speed module 960 can identify conditions forsending the vehicle's speed and location to a remote user. The speedmodule 950 can comprise computer-executable instructions for performingone or more of the steps in Process 1600, which FIG. 16 illustrates asdiscussed below.

The timer 920 clocks time between various events that may occur at thetelemetry system 165, the vehicle 105, the GPS 250, or the data link140. The amount of time that elapses between events can be a criterionfor one or more of the software modules 215.

Turning now to FIG. 10, this figure illustrates a flowchart of a process1000, entitled Conserve Power, for operating the telemetry system 165 ina manner that conserves the electrical power that it consumes. That is,Process 1000 can reduce or minimize the telemetry system's drain on thebattery from which it draws power. The telemetry system's battery can bethe same battery that supplies power to the vehicle's starter and othermajor electrical systems or another battery such as an auxiliary,dedicated, or backup battery.

The telemetry system 165 can comprise or function in collaboration withfour systems that FIG. 2 illustrates as discussed above. The GPS 250,the CMR transceiver 160, the starter circuit relay 230 a, and themicroprocessor system 210 collectively draw battery power at a rate thatcan prematurely drain the battery when each operates at its maximumload. The power module 930 operates each of these four systems 250, 160,230 a, 210 to control electrical consumption and thereby extend thebattery's power or life.

Each of the three steps 1025, 1050, 1075 of Process 1000 comprises asubroutine, sub-process, or set of steps as will be discussed in moredetail below. Process 1000 iteratively executes Step 1025, 1050, and1075 to minimize the power that each of the GPS 250, the starter circuitrelay 230 a, and the CMR transceiver 160 consumes.

At Step 1025, the first step in Process 1000, the power module 930removes power from the GPS 250 when conditions indicate that freshinformation regarding the vehicle's location or velocity is not needed.That is, Step 1025 can comprise disconnecting the GPS 250 from thebattery or turning the GPS 250 off when certain criteria are met. FIG.11, discussed below, illustrates an exemplary flowchart for Step 1025 asProcess 1025.

At Step 1050, the power module 930 operates the relay 230 a thatcontrols the starter circuit 280 in a manner that conserves batterypower. If starting of the vehicle 105 is disabled and an attempt tostart the vehicle 105 occurs, the execution of Step 1050 interrupts ordisengages the starting sequence, thereby preventing the vehicle 1050from starting.

At Step 1075, the power module 930 removes power from the CMRtransceiver 160 when the telemetry system 165 can forego, orsuccessfully operate without, the transceiver's functionality. With theCMR transceiver 160 off, the microprocessor system 210 operates withouta wireless communications system connected to the data processing system46 or a remote user.

Turning now to FIG. 11, this figure illustrates a flowchart of anexemplary process 1025, entitled Conserve GPS Power, for operating theGPS 250 in a manner that reduces its net power drain. As discussed abovein reference to FIG. 10, Process 1025 is an exemplary embodiment of Step1025 in Process 1000.

At inquiry Step 1110, the first step in Process 1025, the ignitionswitch sensor 275 determines the state or position of the vehicle'signition switch or key. The power module 930 receives that informationfrom the ignition switch sensor 275 via one of the sensor inputs 240.

As discussed above in reference to FIG. 2, the vehicle's ignition canhave a position for starting the vehicle's motor, a position foroperating or driving the vehicle 105 after the vehicle's motor isrunning, and a position for stopping the vehicle's motor and parking orstoring the vehicle 105.

If the ignition switch sensor 275 determines that the vehicle's ignitionswitch is on, Step 1120 follows Step 1110. The power module 930 may alsocause Step 1120 to follow Step 1110 when the ignition switch is in thestart position.

At Step 1120, the GPS 250 receives battery power and monitors thevehicle's location. The microprocessor system 210 can provide the GPS250 with power by sending a signal to the GPS 250 that turns it on orkeeps it turned on. Alternatively, the telemetry system 165 can comprisean electrically controlled switch that controls electrical power to theGPS 250. Following Step 1120, Process 1025 ends.

If the ignition switch sensor 275 determines that the ignition switch isin the off position, Step 1130 follows Step 1110. Alternatively, thepower module 930 may determine that the vehicle's motor is off, or thata driver has parked the vehicle 105 or placed it in temporary storage.

At Step 1130, the microprocessor system 210 or the power module 930 thatexecutes on its microprocessor 212 removes power from the GPS 250 orotherwise terminates the GPS's drain of battery power.

At Step 1140, the CMR transceiver 160 receives a page 145 comprising arequest to transmit the vehicle's location to the data processing system46. The vehicle's owner may enter that request into the web-based GUI125, for example. Process 800, discussed above with reference to FIGS.8A, 8B, and 8C, provides an exemplary method for requesting a locationfix on the vehicle 105.

At Step 1150, in response to the incoming request, the microprocessorsystem 210 reinstates power to the GPS 250, acquires from the GPScoordinates that describe the vehicle's position, and transmits thosecoordinates to the data processing system 46.

At Step 1160, the ignition switch sensor 275 determines whether thevehicle 105 remains off. If the vehicle 105 is on, Process 1025 ends andthe microprocessor system 210, specifically its power module 930, allowsthe GPS 250 to draw power and continue providing GPS data.

On the other hand, if the ignition switch sensor 275 determines that thevehicle 105 remains off, the microprocessor system 210 disconnects theGPS 250 from its power supply or turns it off. Following Step 1170,Process 1025 ends.

Turning now to FIG. 12, this figure illustrates a flowchart of anexemplary process 1050, entitled Conserve Relay Power, for operating arelay 230 a in a manner that reduces its power consumption. The relay230 a interfaces with the starter circuit 280 and, when conditionswarrant, prevents the vehicle 105 from starting.

At inquiry Step 1225, the first step in Process 1050, the power module930 determines whether starting of the vehicle 105 has been enabled ordisabled by a user command or other event.

Process 500, for which FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate an exemplaryflowchart, provides an exemplary method for communicating a message tothe telemetry system 165 comprising an instruction to disable thevehicle 105. Conversely, Process 600, illustrated in flowchart form inFIGS. 6A and 6B, provides an exemplary method for communicating aninstruction to enable starting the vehicle 105.

If starting of the vehicle 105 is enabled, Process 1050 ends followingStep 1225. In this scenario, the relay 230 a which interfaces with thestarter circuit 280, does not interfere with a driver's attempts tostart the vehicle 105. That is, when the driver turns the ignitionswitch to the start position, the starter circuit 280 delivers currentto the starter so the engine can start without interference.

If starting of the vehicle 105 is disabled, at Step 1250, the ignitionswitch sensor 275 identifies the position of the ignition switch. If theignition switch is on, indicating that a driver may be driving oroperating the vehicle 105, Process 1050 ends. The telemetry system 165allows the driver to continue operating the vehicle 105 sinceterminating the vehicle's operation could present a safety issue.

If the ignition switch is off at Step 1250, Process 1050 also ends. Inthis situation, the telemetry system 165 removes power from the relay'scoil so that the relay 230 a does not drain the battery. Since theignition switch's position indicates that the driver is not attemptingto start the vehicle 105, the power module 930 waits until the driverattempts to start the vehicle 105 prior to intervening.

If the ignition switch is in the start position, Step 1275 follows Step1250. In this scenario, the driver is actively attempting to start thevehicle 105, typically by turning the ignition key and causingelectricity to flow through the starter. This condition can occur whenthe ignition switch transitions to the start state from the on state orfrom the off state.

At Step 1275, the power module 930 engages the starter circuit relay 230a to interrupt or interfere with the starting sequence. In one exemplaryembodiment, electricity begins flowing through the starter or thestarter circuit 280 that feeds the starter, and the relay 230 a stopsthat electricity flow before it reaches a level that can successfullystart the engine. For example, as current rushes into the starter'scoils, the amount of current increases in response to the inductiveload, and the relay 230 a stops this current inrush before the starterrotates the engine's mechanisms.

Interrupting the starting process can comprise changing the state of therelay 230 a after the driver turns the ignition switch to the startposition but before the engine starts in response to that change in theswitch. In one exemplary embodiment, the starter circuit relay 230 a isin series with the electrical feed to the starter or the starter circuit280. The starter circuit relay 230 a is normally closed. In other words,when that relay 230 a does not receive voltage on its coil, its contactsare closed, and when it receives voltage on its coil, its contacts open.When the ignition switch sensor 275 senses that the driver has turnedthe vehicle's ignition key to the start position, the telemetry system165 delivers voltage to the starter circuit relay 230 a thereby causingit to open and preventing the starter circuit 280 from supplyingsufficient electricity to the starter to start the vehicle.

Following Step 1275, Process 1050 ends.

Turning now to FIG. 13, this figure illustrates a flowchart of anexemplary process 1075, entitled Conserve CMR Transceiver Power forcontrolling power consumption by the CMR transceiver 160 according to anembodiment of the present invention. Via Process 1075, the power module930 can turn the CMR transceiver 160 off or on according to theoperating conditions and events. Turning the CMR transceiver 160 off cancomprise placing it in a “sleep mode,” while the microprocessor system210 continues to operate and consume power. One of the DIP switches 220can be set to enable or disable the sleep mode that conserves power.

At inquiry Step 1310, the first step in Process 1075, the power module930 determines if all of three conditions are present at the vehicle105. If the ignition switch sensor 275 determines that the ignitionswitch is in the start position, AND the security system 270 has notprovided a signal to the sensor inputs 240 indicating that a securitythreat has occurred, AND the telemetry system 165 is configured toenable sleep mode; Steps 1325 through 1380 follow Step 1310.

On the other hand, if all three of these conditions are not met, Step1320 follows Step 1310. At Step 1320, the microprocessor system 210continues to provide power to the CMR transceiver 160 or allow the CMRtransceiver 160 to draw battery power. Thus, the CMR transceiver 160stays on and the data link 140 remains intact and operational.

At inquiry Step 1325, which follows Step 1310 when the three conditionsare met, the power module 930 identifies the positions of the DIPswitches 220. A technician can set the DIP switches 220 to configure thepower conservation that the telemetry system 165 applies to theoperation of the CMR transceiver 160. The flowchart for Process 1075illustrates the logical result of three exemplary DIP switch settings.

If the DIP switches 220 have the ‘24’ setting, the timer 920 initiates a24-hour countdown at Step 1330. If the DIP switches 220 have the ‘36’setting, the timer 920 initiates a 36-hour countdown at Step 1340. Ifthe DIP switches 220 are set to ‘48,’ the timer initiates a 48-hourcountdown at Step 1350. A 12-hour setting (not shown) can also provide a12-hour countdown.

At Step 1355, which follows the execution of Step 1330, Step 1340, orStep 1350, the timer 920 continues the 24-, 26-, or 48-hour countdown,as appropriate. At inquiry Step 1360, the power module 930 determineswhether the countdown has completed. In other words, Step 1360determines whether 24, 36, or 48 hours have elapsed since the ignitionswitch was placed in the off position.

If the timer 920 has not completed the countdown, at Step 1365, thepower module 930 determines whether the vehicle 105 remains off based onsensor input 240 from the ignition switch sensor 275. If the vehicle 105is now on, the execution of Process 1075 loops back to Step 1310. If thevehicle 105 remains off, Process 1075 iterates Steps 1355 and 1360 untilthe timer 920 completes its countdown.

When the timer 920 completes the countdown, Step 1370 follows Step 1360.At Step 1370, the microprocessor system 210, under direction of thepower module 930, disconnects the CMR transceiver 160 from its powersource or turns it off. In this condition, the CMR transceiver 160consumes little or no electrical power.

Inquiry Step 1375 iterates until the security system 270 triggers oridentifies a security event or threat, such as a broken window, or theignition switch sensor 275 detects that the vehicle 105 has started orhas been turned on. When the security system 270 provides the telemetrysystem 165 with a sensor input 240 indicating that a security threat hasoccurred or the ignition switch has transitioned to start or on, themicroprocessor system 210 restores power to the CMR transceiver 160 atStep 1380. With the CMR transceiver 160 powered up, the telemetry system165 establishes communication with the data processing system 46.Following Step 1380, Process 1075 ends.

Turning now to FIGS. 14A and 14B, these figures illustrate a flowchartof an exemplary process 1400, entitled Door Unlock, for remotelyunlocking the door of a vehicle 105. Process 1400 provides a methodthrough which an owner of the vehicle 105 can unlock the vehicle's doorsusing wireless communication.

At Step 1405, the first step in Process 1400, the vehicle's owner electsto configure the telemetry system 165 to provide a remote unlockingcapability. The owner may purchase the telemetry system 165 with thatcapability as a feature, for example.

At Step 1410, service personnel install the telemetry system 165 and setthe DIP switches 220 to indicate availability of the door unlockcapability. The DIP switch setting informs the microprocessor system 210that a page 145 on MIN 3 203 via overhead control channel 3 430represents a command to unlock the vehicle's door. In thisconfiguration, the relay 230 a can be tied to the vehicle's doorlock/unlock circuit 290 rather than the starter circuit 280.Alternatively, one of the relays 230 can interface with the startercircuit 280, while another relay 230 interfaces with the doorlock/unlock circuit 290.

At Step 1415, the vehicle's owner inadvertently locks his or her keys inthe vehicle 105 and seeks entry. At Step 1420, the owner calls the dataprocessing system 46 via a cell phone, land line, or other communicationapparatus. The call typically transmits at least partially on a PSTN.

At Step 1425, the IVR module 190 of the data processing system 46 takesthe owner's call and queries the owner using voice interchange. The IVRmodule 190 may request the caller's identification and a statement ofthe requested service.

In response to the IVR module's query or question, at Step 1430 theowner requests unlocking of the vehicle's doors by speaking one or morewords. The IVR module 190 correctly interprets the owner's request atStep 1445 and passes the request to the data processing programs 170 forprocessing and action.

At Step 1460, the data processing system 46 responds to the owner'sspoken request and initiates delivery of a page 145 on MIN 3 203 oroverhead control channel 3 430 to the telemetry system 165. Thetelemetry system's CMR transceiver 160 receives that page 145 andnotifies the microprocessor system 210 of its receipt.

At Step 1470, which FIG. 14B illustrates, the microprocessor system 210checks the DIP switches 220 to interpret the page 145. Alternatively,the page 145 can be decoded based on information in a lookup table orother information resident in a memory device at the vehicle. Themicroprocessor system 210 determines that the page 145 on MIN 3 203comprises an instruction to unlock the vehicle's doors.

At Step 1475, the door lock module 940 initiates a 3-second pulse to therelay 230 a, which is coupled to the door lock/unlock circuit 290, for 3seconds or another time interval. In response, at Step 1480, the doorlock/unlock circuit 290 sends a pulse, burst, or interval of electricityto the vehicle's door-lock solenoids for approximately 3 seconds.

The door lock solenoid responds to the electricity at Step 1485 andunlocks the vehicle's door locks. At Step 1490, the vehicle owner entersthe vehicle 105 and retrieves the keys. Following Step 1490, Process1400 ends.

Turning now to FIG. 15, this figure illustrates a flowchart of anexemplary process 1500, entitled Track Vehicle, for tracking theposition of a vehicle 105 via wireless telemetry according to anembodiment of the present invention. Following the exemplary steps ofProcess 1500, the telemetry system 165 can report the location of thevehicle 105 at designated times, such as hourly.

At Step 1510, the first step in Process 1500, a technician or otherperson sets the DIP switches 220 or a memory to configure the telemetrysystem 165 to report the location of the vehicle 105 at a predefinedtime interval. The time interval may be every 15 minutes, half hour,hour, or day, for example.

At Step 1520, the timer 920 accumulates time towards that time interval.At Step 1530, the location module 950 determines whether the accumulatedtime has exceeded the time interval. If the accumulated time is lessthan the time interval, Process 1500 iterates Steps 1520 and 1530 untilthe accumulated time exceeds the time interval.

When the accumulated time exceeds the selected time interval, Step 1540follows Step 1530. At Step 1540, the GPS 250 identifies the vehicle'slocation and reports that location to the location module 950. At Step1550, the location module 950 prompts the CMR transceiver 160 totransmit the GPS location to the data processing system 46 over the CMRsystem 8.

At Step 1560, the CMR transceiver 160 transmits the GPS latitude andspeed on MIN 2 202 or overhead control channel 2 420 in the form of atelemetry packet 146. The ESN field of overhead control channel 2 420carries the data payload. At Step 1570, the CMR transceiver 160transmits the GPS longitude and heading on overhead control channel 1410 using its ESN field.

At Step 1580, the data processing system 46 receives the GPS coordinatesand stores them in a database. A user, such as an operator of a fleet ofvehicles 105, can access the database via the web-based GUI 125 to trackeach vehicle 105 in the fleet. Following Step 1580, Process 1500 ends.

Turning now to FIG. 16, this figure illustrates a flowchart of anexemplary process 1600, entitled Report Speed Violation, for identifyinga vehicle's speed limit violations via wireless telemetry according toan embodiment of the present invention.

At Step 1605, the first step in Process 1600, the owner of the vehicle105 enters a speed threshold, limit, or constraint into the GUI 125. Thespeed threshold can comprise the maximum permissible speed for drivingthe vehicle 105. For example, a head of a household may dictate that ateenager can drive the vehicle 105, but only if the vehicle's speed doesnot exceed the speed threshold. Via the following steps of Process 1600,the speed module 960 monitors the driver's speed and sends the ownernotification when the speed exceeds the speed threshold for a specifiedtime duration.

At Step 1608, the CMR system 8 transmits the selected speed threshold tothe vehicle's telemetry system 165. A page on MIN 1 201 or overheadcontrol channel 1 410 alerts the telemetry system 165 to expect andreceive a command page 145 that is broadcast via a command MIN orcommand channel (other than MIN 1 201 or control channel 1 410). Thecommand MIN is common to multiple telemetry systems 165 throughout thesystem 100. Via this command page 145, the telemetry system 165 receivesthe speed threshold, and the speed module 960 stores the speed thresholdin memory. The command MIN can also comprise an instruction to cancelspeed monitoring of the vehicle 105.

At Step 1610, a driver drives the vehicle 105. The driver may be adifferent person, such as the teenager, than the person that owns thevehicle 105. At Step 1615, the GPS 250 monitors the vehicle's speed andregularly reports speed measurements to the microprocessor system 210.

At Step 1620, the speed module 960 compares each speed measurement tothe speed threshold 1620. Based on that comparison, at Step 1625, thespeed module determines if a speed measurement has exceeded the speedthreshold. If the speed measurement has not exceeded the speedthreshold, Step 1625 causes Process 1600 to iterate Steps 1610-1625. Thedriver continues driving, and the telemetry system 165 continuesmonitoring the driver's driving practices.

If the driver has driven the vehicle 105 faster than the speedthreshold, then at Step 1630 the timer 920 begins to count or accumulatetime. At inquiry Step 1635, the speed module 960 determines whether thevehicle's speed continues to exceed the speed threshold. If thevehicle's speed has fallen below the threshold, the execution of Process1600 returns to Step 1610.

If the vehicle's speed continues to exceed the speed threshold, theninquiry Step 1640 follows Step 1635. At Step 1640, the speed module 960determines if the accumulated time has exceeded a time threshold. Thetime threshold can be fixed or selectable and can have a value in arange between 15 seconds and 10 minutes, for example. If the accumulatedtime has not exceeded the time threshold, then Process 1600 executesStep 1630 followed by Step 1635.

If the accumulated time has exceeded the time threshold, then Step 1645follows Step 1640. At Step 1645, the speed module 960 prompts the CMRtransceiver 160 to transmit the vehicle's longitude, latitude, heading,and speed via overhead control channels 1 and 2 410, 420 with anaccompanying flag that indicates that the driver has committed aninfraction or a violation of the permissible conditions for operatingthe vehicle 105. The vehicle owner can access the resulting speedviolation report from the GUI 125, for example

Following such a violation, Process 1600 iterates Step 1650 until thevehicle's speed drops below the speed threshold by a significant amount,such as 10 miles per hour or 10 percent. When the speed falls below thespeed threshold, the execution of Process 1600 returns to Step 1610.This iteration effectively resets the speed reporting sequence so thatwhen the driver commits another speed violation, the vehicle's owner canreceive another notification via Step 1645.

Turning now to FIG. 17, this figure illustrates a flowchart of anexemplary process 1700, entitled Report Location Violation, forreporting instances of a vehicle 105 moving outside an operatingboundary according to an embodiment of the present invention.

At Step 1710, the first step in Process 1700, the vehicle's ownerspecifies a geographic boundary for operating the vehicle 105. Drivingthe vehicle 105 within the boundary is allowable, while driving thevehicle 105 outside the boundary is not allowed. The owner can enter theboundary into web-based GUI 125, for example.

At Step 1720, the GUI 125 sends the boundary specification or constraintto the data processing system 46. The data processing system 46typically stores the data in a local database or other memory system.

At Step 1500, which FIG. 15 illustrates in flowchart form as Process1500 as discussed above, the telemetry system 165 tracks the vehicle'slocation. As an output or result of Step 1500, the data processingsystem 46 receives GPS location coordinates as the vehicle 105 movesgeographically.

At Step 1730, the data processing programs 170 compare the received GPSlocation coordinates to the specified geographic boundary. If the driveris operating the vehicle 105 within the boundary, Step 1740 causesProcess 1700 to iterate Steps 1500, 1730, and 1740 until the vehicle 105moves outside the boundary. If the vehicle 105 strays beyond theboundary, then Step 1750 follows Step 1740.

At Step 1750, the data processing programs 170 send notification of theboundary violation to the web-based GUI 125 or another device capable ofreceiving e-mail, for example. The notification can comprise thevehicle's location at the time of crossing the boundary. Alternatively,the notification can comprise a report of the vehicle's path before andafter crossing the boundary.

At Step 1760, the location module 950 continues tracking the vehicle'slocation and reporting its coordinates to the data processing system 46for the owner's access. Following Step 1760, Process 1700 ends.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the present inventionovercomes the limitations of the prior art. From the description of theembodiments, equivalents of the elements shown therein will suggestthemselves to those skilled in the art, and ways of constructing otherembodiments of the present invention will suggest themselves topractitioners of the art. Therefore, the scope of the present inventionis to be limited only by the claims below.

1. A method of remote interaction with a vehicle comprising the stepsof: receiving a voice command; processing the received voice commandwith an interactive voice response system; responsive to the processingstep, interpreting the voice command as a prompt to perform an action atthe vehicle; sending a signal to the vehicle on a control channel of acellular network in response to the prompt; at the vehicle, monitoring acontrol channel of a cellular network; detecting the sent signal on thecontrol channel; and performing the action in response to detecting thesent signal.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the action comprisesunlocking a door of the vehicle.
 3. The method of claim 2, whereinunlocking the door comprises sending an electrical pulse to an actuatormechanically coupled to a lock of the door.
 4. The method of claim 1,wherein the action comprises pulsing a horn on the vehicle.
 5. Themethod of claim 4, wherein pulsing a horn on the vehicle comprisessending an electrical pulse to an actuator mechanically coupled to thehorn.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the action comprises pulsing alight on the vehicle.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein pulsing a lighton the vehicle comprises sending an electrical pulse to an actuatormechanically coupled to the light.
 8. The method of claim 6, whereindisabling the vehicle comprises tripping a relay connected to a starteron the vehicle.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the action comprisesdisabling the vehicle.
 10. A method for remotely interacting with avehicle, the method comprising: receiving at a data processing center avoice command, the voice command comprising an action to be performed atthe vehicle; in response to receiving the voice command at the dataprocessing center, broadcasting a page over a cellular network;receiving the page at a transceiver located at the vehicle; forwardingthe page from the transceiver to a microprocessor located at thevehicle; and in response to receiving the page at the microprocessor,performing the command at the vehicle.
 11. The method of claim 10,wherein the command comprises unlocking a door on the vehicle.
 12. Themethod of claim 10, wherein the command comprises pulsing a horn on thevehicle.
 13. The method of claim 10, wherein the command comprisespulsing a light on the vehicle.
 14. The method of claim 10, wherein thecommand comprises disabling the vehicle.
 15. The method of claim 14,wherein disabling the vehicle comprises tripping a relay connected to astarter on the vehicle.
 16. The method of claim 10, wherein themicroprocessor further performs the step of checking a state of DIPswitches located at the vehicle to determine the action to be performedat the vehicle.
 17. A system for remotely interacting with a vehicle,the system comprising: a processing system located remote from thevehicle, wherein the processing system: receives a voice command;interprets the voice command using voice recognition software; andbroadcasts a page over a cellular network, the page including an actionto be performed at the vehicle pursuant to the voice command; atransceiver located at the vehicle, wherein the transceiver receives thepage from the processing system; and a microprocessor located at thevehicle, wherein the microprocessor receives the page from thetransceiver and performs the action at the vehicle.
 18. The system ofclaim 17, wherein the action comprises unlocking a door on the vehicle.19. The system of claim 17, wherein the action comprises pulsing a hornon the vehicle.
 20. The system of claim 17, wherein the action comprisespulsing a light on the vehicle.